Homeworld2: Wrath of the Gods
by atmawpn
Summary: The Eye of Aaraan may have united the Galaxy in peace, but some gates are best left closed. Now the Hiigarans must fight to protect not just one world, but all other sentient races from the fallout of an ancient war. COMPLETE
1. Prologue: After the End Time

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**PROLOGUE:**

In the End Time, the Vaygr led a stunning assault on the Galaxy. Wielding the power of the ancients with the Progenitor Dreadnaught and reverse-engineered weapons systems, they conquered all before them.

The Taiidan Republic, already weakened by decades of continuous civil war, was crushed in days. The Bentusi would have survived this, but their fleet was markedly smaller every since the Beast Exodus. They too fell, their powerful tradeships overwhelmed by sheer numerical superiority. Only their Harbour Ship _Bentus_ was able to survive by virtue of its far jumping capabilities.

When the Vaygr launched a surprise attack on Tanis Base, Karan Sjet was barely able to escape with the _Pride of Hiigara_ and the Second Core. The Hiigaran System was conquered and Hiigara itself put under siege by the Vaygr.

Karan's odyssey across the Galaxy was fraught with peril and danger, yet she was able to hold off Makaan's minions long enough to unlock the secrets of the Progenitors. In the climactic battle at Balcora, Makaan fell and Karan became the Sajuuk Khar.

It was then that the _Eye of Aaraan_ was discovered, uniting the Galaxy in peace as the First Core once did. This heralded the arrival of the Age of Sjet. However, the Turanic Raiders had absorbed many Taiidani since the fall of the old Empire and the recent conquest of the Republic. No longer just a ragtag pirate force, they now constitute a high-level threat to Hiigara itself.

Karan Sjet had forseen this, and hence had given orders for the original Mothership, _01_, to be given a massive overhaul. When complete, it would be in the same league as the _Pride of Hiigara_, ready to lead the Hiigarans to victory again.

In remembrance of the tragic Kharakian genocide, _01_ was dubbed _Legacy of Kharak_.

And so the Exiles believed that peace was secured at last. Little did they know that more was yet to come…


	2. First Move

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 1: FIRST MOVE**

"Alright, we are clear for weapons testing. Pilot, you have the green."

"Roger that."

Kiir Sjet had been working on the Light Sword project for the past 5 months of his life. It was his most ambitious project since his revolutionary invention of the Sync Jump Algorithm, which synchronised the quantum waveform generation of all ships in a fleet and hence allowed radical increases in hyperspace jump range. Now, he was seeking to replicate the deadly Bentusi Ion Fighter for Hiigaran use. If he succeeded this time, mass drivers would become a thing of the past.

The prototype Acolyte fighter sped silently towards its designated target – an empty frigate shell. All sensors in the region focused their attention on the strike craft, taking readings and detailed analysis of the Acolyte's weapons systems and power generators.

"Target is within range. Shunting power to crystal conduits now!"

"Roger that pilot, you may fire at will."

All eyes aboard Tanis Base watched the great moment. History was about to be made. Suddenly, the frigate was raked by two lethal ion beams that glowed an angry yellow. The hull ruptured in seconds, and the chassis exploded into oblivion. Tanis Base erupted in celebration.

"I don't believe it! Weapons output is at 315, everything else appears normal… what in Kharak's name!"

All attention veered back to the fighter once more. It was now tumbling helplessly through space as the test pilot screamed across all comm frequencies.

"Mayday, mayday, the crystal conduits have begun chain reaction! Request immediate rescue… Somebody… anybody… HEL…"

He didn't have time to finish his last words. Tanis Base watched in silent horror as the Acolyte burst into a blinding flash of light, vaporising completely. As the blast faded into the blackness of space, Kiir sank back in his chair, devastated. The previous two trials had seen the same outcome – the massive ionic energy causing a mysterious chain reaction in the crystal conduits that ultimately led to complete fighter destruction. He felt a pat on his shoulder, and turned around to face General Qwaar.

"Do not be discouraged Kiir. Your progress in space-faring technology has been most invaluable to all of Hiigara, and we appreciate that."

"But… this is the third time. Every time I fail, another life is wasted…"

"Failures are but commonplace in the realm of research. Sacrifices also have to be made. Surely you remember what the Somtaaw went through during their development of the very successful Sentinel unit?"

"… Thank you General."

"Now, I bring orders from Karan herself. She expresses gratitude for your efforts in this field of science, but regrets that you will need to be posted temporarily to another project."

"Another project?"

"Karan's initial survey of the _Eye of Aaraan_ revealed several gates leading to other galaxies. She wishes you to join the Naabal Carrier _Exile_ in its survey of Gate 112A."

"Very well. I shall leave immediately."

"_Exile_ should be arriving at Tanis Base in an hour or so. Take this time to relax, I can see that you're pretty stressed up over the Light Sword project."

"I thank you for your concern, General."

As Kiir retreated to his quarters to do some packing, he felt the fangs of guilt gnawing away inside him.

* * *

In high orbit over Hiigara, the _Legacy of Kharak_ drifted silently in space under the protection of the Second Scaffold. Her overhaul completed weeks ago, she was now ready for full-spectrum testing. Deprived of the conscious control of Karan, the _Legacy_ now lay in the hands of Yuno Manaan, a brilliant Manaani scientist who had perished due to cancer, her consciousness uploaded into the _Legacy_'s databanks as its resident AI.

Admiral Eefrit was starting to get impatient. The repair crews were complaining that they had yet to reconfigure the construction bays completely, and that launching now would be inappropriate. Thankfully, Soban was always near to comfort him.

"Eefrit you have to calm down. The repair crews always have the final say, you know that from the academy handbook."

"Soban, this thing has been delayed for 2 weeks already. We're way behind schedule, and I doubt if Karan is going to like this."

"Just stay calm, this isn't good for your health. Besides, this ship I'm sitting in suffered lots of delays before it could relaunch too."

"That's because you're sitting in the Progenitor Dreadnaught! Alright I'll be patient then…"

Captain Soban was now the captain of the Progenitor Dreadnaught _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ in recognition of his efforts during the End Time. Arduous research had managed to bring a few more Dreadnaught systems online, including a Progenitor shield system similar to the one used by the Keepers to deflect all weapon damage. However, research was still continuing due to the discovery of what might be the _Gatekeeper_'s Phasing system. Members of the Kiith council had expressed great displeasure at this wastage of resources, arguing that research efforts would be better off somewhere else. However, this was always rebutted by the warrior Kiithid who claimed that the "extraneous technology" would prove useful in times of need.

"Admiral Eefrit, my latest estimates would put a successful launch point 18 hours from now."

"So the repair crews finally get my point. It's about time we put this thing to the stars. Yuno, start running all pre-launch procedures."

"Affirmative. Commencing pre-launch procedures now."

It was then that klaxons started wailing across all decks.

"Admiral, Hiigaran Fleet Command reports that a Turanic Raider fleet has emerged from hyperspace just beyond the Coruc-Tel System. They were stopped by the resident hyperspace inhibitors, but the inhibitor station reports that reinforcements are badly needed."

"Reinforcements? That sounds like one heck of a fleet. Soban, looks like you're needed again."

"I got that," Soban interjected,"I've already received direct orders from Fleet Command to intercept and halt the attack. Sometimes I wish Karan were here to help with that big gun."

"True. Good luck old friend."

"Thanks. Soban out."

Eefrit watched the viewscreens silently as the _Gatekeeper_ slid into hyperspace along with a carrier fleet. This latest attack worried him. The Turanic Raiders had been stepping up their assaults ever since Karan became the Sajuuk Khar. Just a month ago the Raiders were attacking only once a week. Now their assaults were increasing in frequency and severity. At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before a populated world was overrun. Eefrit turned around and sat down in his chair on the bridge. He understood why Karan wanted an overhaul of the old Mothership. Without a mobile support base, there would be no way for the Hiigaran Navy to stand up to the Turanic Raiders if they launched an all-out attack. For too long had they been dependent on _Sajuuk_ for protection.

He needed this ship mobile now.

* * *

"Welcome aboard the _Exile_. I am Commander Hyll and it is my honour to have the distinguished scientist Kiir Sjet on board."

"You flatter me Commander."

"The First Officer will show you to your quarters. I regret the absence of certain luxuries as this is a military vessel. However, I will see to it that your stay is a pleasant one. Now if you will excuse me, I have matters on the bridge that await my attention."

"Thank you Commander."

As Kiir walked down the metallic corridors of the carrier, he wondered what mysteries would exist beyond that gate. Yet, he still could not put the test failure behind him. Those screams would be etched in his mind for perhaps the rest of his life.

"Helm, set a course for Gate 112A. The Gate is 215 light years beyond our individual maximum jump ranges, so give the order for the Fleet to synchronise hyperdrives."

"Roger Commander. Attention all ships, activate Sync Jump Algorithms and prepare for hyperspace. Beaming coordinates now."

As the carrier bustled with activity in preparation for the synchronised jump, Kiir thanked the First Officer and retreated to the privacy of his room. It was exactly as the Commander had described – basic amenities only. There was an attempt at luxury with the presence of a hand-carved wooden table, along with an artist's impression of _Sajuuk_. Running his hand along the sides of the table, Kiir took out his science notes and sat down to work on his theories. He remembered fondly his days as a student at the Hiigaran Institute of Space Sciences. He had studied the various works describing hyperspace physics with the goal of becoming a specialist in the theories of hyperspace. Kiir had based his assumptions and calculations on the foundation of these theories, formulating the equations and variables that eventually led to the creation of the Sync Jump Algorithm, which propelled him from student to full-fledged scientist.

This was still not enough. He still maintained a great interest in the Progenitor race, wondering how they had mastered hyperspace to the extent of creating the Far Jumpers. Surely such a secret would not be known to the ancients alone? Surely he could somehow solve the mysteries that left the greatest of Hiigaran scientists stumped? He was also determined to unlock the secrets of the Bentusi, who had access to almost unlimited power and combined it all in the sleek designs of their trade ships.

Kiir stopped writing as the screams echoed in his mind once more. He put down his pen and lay down on the cramped military-style bed. A good rest would solve everything, he thought. As Kiir's eyes closed, he heard the countdown announcement echoing through the massive ship.

"Synchronised Hyperspace Jump in minus 10 seconds…"


	3. Develop

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 2: DEVELOP**

_The Coruc-Tel System orbits the stars Coruc and Tel respectively. Being a binary system, the objects in this region of space transit via bizarre orbits due to the inexplicable movement of the two stars. Tel does not orbit in a circular fashion, instead it wobbles around Coruc in a seemingly random orbit. As such, Tel's distance from Coruc can range from anywhere between sixty-five million kilometres to two billion kilometres at any one time. Furthermore, Tel never stays in one plane of movement for more than sixty hours at a time. This has resulted in the formation of unique asteroid belts that weave in and out between the stars and the planets in the system, like fighters manoeuvring around capital ships._

_However, such object movement does not warrant the deployment of a science vessel. It was the presence of certain quantum waveform irregularities that attracted the _Clee San_'s attention. Regrettably, the doomed Somtaaw ship was unable to complete its analysis, owing to the arrival of the Beast wars that claimed the _Clee San_ as its second victim._

_Hiigaran Fleet Command built an inhibitor station in the Coruc-Tel System for various reasons. The most obvious ones were Coruc-Tel's strategic location in Hiigaran space and resource-rich asteroid belts. The lesser-known factors were the unexplained quantum waveform irregularities that somehow amplified the effectiveness of the inhibitor field. Though the navy's general perception of this region in space has been "safe", what they do not know about is Fleet Command's hushing up of several unexplained ship disappearances over the years.

* * *

_

**Coruc-Tel System:**

The light from Coruc shimmered briefly as the fabric of space time was bent. Slowly, the Hiigaran carrier fleet emerged from hyperspace along with the awe-inspiring _Gatekeeper_.

"Hyperspace jump complete, Captain Soban. The Manaan carrier _Sabre_ reports that all its systems are nominal, as are the rest of the ships in the fleet. However, we are off-target by twenty-three kilometres. Sensors indicate that we were disrupted by quantum waveform anomalies in the area."

"Off-target? That station needs our help ASAP. Helm, compensate for anomalies and prepare for micro jump into the battlefield. Comm, open fleet broadcast channel."

"Fleet communications established, Captain."

"Excellent. Soban to _Sabre_, launch all strike craft to provide immediate cover for the station. All other ships reconfigure hyperdrives for micro jump!"

As Soban's fleet moved into formation for the jump, dozens of Interceptors launched from the docking bays of the _Sabre_, speeding towards the inhibitor station _Bravo II_. Things were not looking good for _Bravo II_ – it had lost almost all fighter cover and its remaining three Destroyers were getting picked off by the Turanic Missile Corvettes. Meanwhile, a dozen Ion Array frigates had rushed forward, scorching the hull plating of the station with their brilliant crimson beams.

Soban was disturbed by the way the battle was unfolding. How could a Lord carrier overwhelm the station's defences with just corvettes and frigates alone? There was definitely something else going on.

"Captain, engineering reports that we are reconfigured and ready for the jump. _Sabre_ and the rest of the frigates are fully prepped as well."

"Alright, all ships engage hyperdrives! We're going in!"

The Hiigaran fleet vanished into hyperspace once again, re-emerging in front of the stricken inhibitor station seconds later. Their Interceptors and Pulsar Gunships had already reached the battlefield beforehand, weapons blazing away at the enemy. Immediately, five Torpedo frigates took aim and unleashed their anti-corvette weaponry at the Missile Corvettes, shredding them to debris in moments. Meanwhile, fourteen Ion Cannon frigates targeted the Assassins and started blasting away, covered from the Raider strike craft by Flak frigates. The battlefield now lit up with the dazzling red and blue light of pulsar and ion beams, with the occasional flash of yellow when a ship's reactor failed.

Amidst all the chaos, the _Gatekeeper_ charged straight for the heart of the Raider fleet – the Lord carrier. As it moved along, its plasma turret fired at every target of opportunity in range, reducing frigates to heaps of molten metal. The carrier remained defiant and raked the Dreadnaught with its ion beams.

"Captain, weapons control reports that we are now clear to fire the Phased Cannon Array."

"Good! Let's show these pirates what we're made of!"

The massive Progenitor ship manoeuvred slowly as it brought its ultimate weapon to bear. The carrier seemed to sense its imminent doom and began to turn around, trying in vain to escape the Dreadnaught's wrath. Suddenly, the communications channel crackled to life.

"Captain Soban! This is _Bravo II_! This is a trap, I repeat, this is a trap! Do not engage the Raider carrier!"

"A trap? What do you mean commander?"

"Captain! The carrier is launching missiles at us… Kiith's blood they have Beast signatures!"

"Beast cruise missiles?"

"Captain, the Raiders have found a way to contain Beast material and control the trajectory of their cruise missiles. That's not all, the Raiders also…"

"They're getting jammed! Soban to all ships, stay clear of the carrier at all costs! Engineering, activate the shields now!"

Seconds later, the missiles exploded against the Dreadnaught, unleashing their infectious potential on the ship. The Turanic Raiders watched the light fade, only to realise that they had failed. The viral payloads had been completely vaporised by the _Gatekeeper_'s energy shielding! Now the Dreadnaught was enveloped by a protective layer of yellow light. This was the shield technology that had rendered the Keeper invincible when the _Pride of Hiigara_ had first encountered it at the Dreadnaught Berth. Captain Soban heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank the maker they managed to repair the shield systems on this thing. Fire the Phased Cannon Array!"

At first, nothing happened. Then, the sides of the Dreadnaught began to glow yellow with ever-increasing magnitude as energy poured to the front of the ship. Just as the brightness reached a maximum, the _Gatekeeper_ shuddered and recoiled to the rear partially as all that energy leapt forward in a blinding lance of light. The yellow beam pierced the carrier like a needle going through cloth, melting its superstructure and killing all on board. As the beam faded, the carrier detonated with tremendous force, all of which was absorbed silently by the _Gatekeeper_'s energy shielding.

"The carrier has been neutralised, Captain. The Raiders are retreating."

"Order all ships to pursue and destroy the remaining ships! They must not be allowed to escape!" Soban roared.

It was then that the space behind the Dreadnaught shimmered, slowly revealing a trio of large capital ships. They were the fearsome Taiidani Qwaar Jet Heavy Cruisers!

"Captain, three heavies have just decloaked behind us! They're opening fire!"

"Dammit! Turn us around and have Weapons Control ready the PCA for firing again!"

Suddenly, screaming pierced across all the comm channels, shocking everyone on the bridge momentarily.

"HELP! HELP US! SOMEBODY HELP US! NOOOOO! AAAAAAAAHHH!..."

"What in Kharak's name was that?"

"Bad news Captain. It appears that another Raider carrier decloaked behind the station and launched cruise missiles at it! The station has been infected!"

"This could be very bad. _Sabre_, lock on and scan the station for infection beam weaponry! All ships, stay clear and focus fire on all remaining enemy vessels!"

As Soban watched his fleet scatter from the doomed station, he sank down in his chair while the Dreadnaught shuddered under the combined firepower of the cruisers. How in the world did the Raiders manage to control the Beast to such an extent? He knew this would not bode well for Hiigara. It was then that a constant bleeping noise distracted him from his thoughts. It was coming from the hyperspace NAV computer, which had been abandoned in the chaos of the battle. Soban watched the screen and saw many pings across the region.

Could those be hyperspace signatures out there? Before Soban could check the ship sensors from his console, the Dreadnaught rocked violently and he was thrown out of his seat, bruising his head in the process. Now alarms were wailing across the entire ship.

"What's going on?"

"Unknown, Captain! It appears that we're being dragged into hyperspace!"

"Quickly! Send a distress signal to the _Sabre_!"

But it was too late. The crews on board the _Sabre_ watched in horror as the _Gatekeeper_ and the heavy cruisers were engulfed by the largest hyperspace rift they had ever seen.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, _Eye of Aaraan _Gate 112A:**

He was looking at an _Eye of Aaraan_ gate for the first time. It was a magnificent structure in space and clearly as massive as Balcora Gate itself. Various Hiigaran ships were already swarming around it, hoping that their scans would force the gate to reveal its secrets. The gate revealed nothing but the infinite blueness of hyperspace beyond its dimensional portal.

Kiir Sjet was still feeling exhausted. That rest had done him no good, as he had continuous nightmares about the tragedy at Tanis Base. Now he focused on the issue at hand, trying his best to forget the screams.

"That, Scientist Kiir, is Gate 112A."

"It is… beautiful. I assume that we're just going to jump through it recklessly, Commander Hyll?"

"Reckless is not the word I'd use to describe this. I'd liken this to a voyage into the great unknown, and we are the explorers."

"True. There can be no gain without venture."

"Very well then. _Exile_ to all ships! Stand by for jump via hyperspace gate!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, High orbit over Hiigara:**

"The Mothership has cleared the Scaffold. Stand by for hyperspace test."

"The wait has been long, isn't it?"

"Indeed. But Eefrit, we are away at last."

It was a breathtaking sight. The original Mothership no longer looked like something from a century ago. She had been painstakingly taken apart in places and rebuilt to be larger and more adaptable than both her original design and the _Pride of Hiigara_. Now she was edging slowly away from the Scaffold that had nurtured her. Millions of Hiigarans cheered all over the planet. It was a moment of great celebration.

Yuno suddenly fell silent.

"Yuno? You alright there?"

"…"

"You're scaring me here. What's wrong? Too much data to handle?" Eefrit snorted, trying to lighten the mood.

"… Eefrit."

"What's the problem?"

"Word just came in from Hiigaran Fleet Command. It appears that… we have lost the _Gatekeeper_."

Eefrit stood like a statue, staring at the projector that contained Yuno's hologram. Yuno called his name, trying to bring him back to his senses, but the Admiral heard nothing now. He still maintained a steely exterior as the Admiral of the Hiigaran Navy, but deep down inside he wept openly for the loss of his friend.


	4. Discover

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 3: DISCOVER**

_It is not always easy to perceive the size of the Galaxy due to its sheer massiveness. Considering that the distance between Kharak, beyond the Great Wastelands, and Hiigara, an Inner Rim world, is at least thirty-five thousand light years, it is easy to understand the irrelevance of the fastest fusion drives. They are, after all, conventional drives._

_With such stellar distances in mind, one can definitely see the importance of hyperspace – the only known means of efficient travel across the Galaxy. Hyperspace came to the known Galaxy only in the First Time, with the Bentusi's discovery of the First Core. Using the vast powers granted by the First Core, the Outer Limb Trade Routes were established, uniting the Galaxy in peace. While various hyperspace modules were developed as a result of the Bentusi's technological hand downs, no other sentient race was able to develop a similar hyperdrive with the capabilities of the First Core._

_It did not take long for the various races to realise the value of hyperspace in combat. The Hiigarans first took advantage of this in their terrible war for domination. Corrupted by the power of the Second Core, they were quick to use its far jumping capabilities in their mad conquest. Thankfully, they were stopped by the enigmatic Bentusi._

_While hyperspace's importance remained during later times, especially during the Hiigaran race's Homecoming, there is no doubt that the End Time saw the most vicious use of far jumping hypertechnology. With the Third Core came great bloodshed and tragedy, bringing much of the known Galaxy to its knees._

_The Galaxy's understanding of hyperspace has come a long way since the First Time, and ships now sport hyperspace modules with ever-increasing jump ranges. Yet, some mysteries remain._

_What secret lies behind the seemingly-infinite power of the Hyperspace Cores, that allow them to propel entire fleets across mind-numbing distances in a single jump? What causes the bizarre hyperspatial anomalies in various regions of space?_

_Most importantly, was hyperspace developed as an instrument of discovery, or a tool of war?

* * *

_

**Outskirts of Hiigaran System:**

As the _Legacy of Kharak_ flickered into objective being on the outskirts of the Hiigaran System, Yuno was relieved to see that Admiral Eefrit had recovered from the nasty emotional shock. She too felt his pain, as death was something she had gone through in the not-so-distant past. Yet, she questioned herself; who feels more pain – the one who dies or the one beside?

"Hyperspace jump successful. Extrapolated sensor readings show that the hyperspace module is functioning at 100 efficiency. I am confident that we will have no trouble reaching the projected maximum jump range of two thousand light years."

"Yeah, that is good to hear Yuno. If only…"

"Eefrit, nobody wanted for it to happen. I'm sure Soban wouldn't want to see you grieve over his passing."

"… Is there any word from Hiigara?"

"Of course. Hiigaran Fleet Command is very pleased with the performance of the _Legacy_'s hyperspace module. Not surprising, since it was designed by Kiir Sjet himself."

"That guy is brilliant. Where would we have gone using those modules with three-digit jump ranges?"

"Admiral, I am receiving additional instructions now. We are to return to Hiigara immediately for final retrofitting, after which we will re-launch for our first mission."

"First mission! They've still got a few more weeks' testing to go!"

"Hiigaran Fleet Command wants the retrofit done in twenty hours. They want us to investigate the Turanic Raiders who are supposedly developing new weapons that would prove disturbing to Hiigara's security."

"New weapons? I didn't think those pirates could be good techs. Time to head back, I guess."

"Attention all crews, we will be initiating return jump to Hiigara in one minute. Please return to your posts immediately."

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, Hyperspace transit:**

Kiir switched on the viewscreen in his quarters and was greeted by eerie blue streaks of light. It had been three hours since they entered Gate 112A, and there was still no end in sight.

It must be a pretty distant galaxy, he thought.

Kiir returned to his notes and started working feverishly at them again. They had received word minutes ago about the tragic loss of the Progenitor Dreadnaught _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_. While he was disturbed by the fact that the Turanic Raiders were using Beast weaponry, he was affected more by Hiigaran Fleet Command's response to the matter.

"_While the loss in Hiigaran life, especially war veteran Captain Soban, is indeed tragic, the loss of infinite research possibilities on board the Dreadnaught is very much regrettable."_

Since when did Hiigaran Fleet Command become such a heartless organisation? They now valued technology over life itself! What would Karan have done instead?

Alas, Karan would not hear of this matter. She was too far away now. Last he heard, Karan and _Sajuuk_ were now in the Unexplored Regions to the Southern Fringe, exploring an extension of the _Eye of Aaraan_ that was thought to lead to a section of the Galaxy closed off by naturally-occurring gravity wells. That was the other mystery behind Progenitor technology – their ability to jump through gravity wells and other hyperspace inhibitors without trouble.

He had tried to tackle this problem before in an attempt to solve the woes that external gravitational influences had on hyperspace travel. Kiir had spent many months filling paper with equations and scribbled notes, each of them more inexplicable than the last. In the end, he was left with a series of equations to which there was no plausible answer. The only clue he had was that his equations were somehow related to the results he got from calculating Far Jumper equations. If he could somehow find a solid mathematical way to link them together…

Fatigued by the mental effort, he put his pen down on the table and closed his eyes. Just as he drifted slowly into slumber, he was jarred back to reality by the Commander's booming voice.

"Attention all crews! Sensors indicate that the _Exile_ will be returning to normal space in one minute. Report to your positions and stand by for hyperspace exit. Scientist Kiir Sjet, please report to the bridge immediately."

As the echo died down, Kiir got up from his wooden chair, stretched, and left his room hastily. He walked onto the bridge just before the ship returned to normal space. The blue streaks surrounding the _Exile _slowed as the hyperspace in front of them split open, revealing the blackness of space beyond. Moments later, the _Exile_ emerged from the hyperspace gate, followed closely by its escort fleet of frigates and destroyers.

"It looks like we made it, Kiir. We're running a preliminary scan of the region now, hopefully we'll be able to figure out our location."

"Remember, Commander, that we are in uncharted territory. Though my curiosity remains strong, I am still concerned about the safety of this fleet."

"Your worries are unfounded, Kiir. This fleet is fully equipped to handle anything short of a complete mothership assault squadron."

"Sirs! Sorry to interrupt you, but scanners have picked up a large debris field thirteen kilometres from our position. Preliminary scans indicate Bentusi origins…"

Kiir and Commander Hyll were both stunned by the sudden discovery, but the Commander recovered quickly.

"Bentusi origins? Helm, micro jump to those coordinates at once! All ships follow suit!"

Many thoughts were running through Kiir's mind now. The Bentusi were all gone, wiped out during the events of the End Time. How could they be here? Unless…

As the _Exile_ re-entered hyperspace, Kiir spoke loudly so that everyone on the bridge could hear him.

"I believe we have found the Galaxy to which the Bentusi fled."

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Hyperspace transit:**

"What is our status now?"

"Unknown Captain. We are rushing through hyperspace to an indeterminate location."

"Is there any way we could get ourselves back to normal space?"

"Engineering is already reconfiguring the hyperdrives to generate a quantum waveform with a reversed signature. Hopefully, that will cancel the effects of this rift and get us back to realspace. Alright! Engineering reports that they're done!"

"Hang on everyone. Helm, engage hyperdrives!"

The _Gatekeeper_ shuddered violently as her hyperspace systems whined under the strain. Sparks flew from the Helm console and the bridge filled with the acrid smell of fried circuitry. The ship's lights flickered and the cooling comfort of life support became erratic.

"What's going on?"

"Sir, hyperspace NAV systems have shorted out and we're detecting massive power fluctuations in the main reactor. We're also picking up some sort of energy feedback in the Phased Cannon Array!"

"Soban to Engineering! Cut the power to the Phased Cannon Array! Can you stabilise our power?"

"Got it, Captain! We'll do everything we can down here!"

Another massive shudder rocked the Dreadnaught, which now dipped perilously to port. At the same moment, the sight of hyperspace outside the ship began to slow down, and a window of realspace opened before them.

"Engineering, all power to hyperdrives! We have to push through!"

"Roger that Captain!"

With a tremendous groan as her superstructure strained under the gravitational stresses, the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ dropped back into normal space violently. As the smoke cleared from the bridge, Captain Soban gazed around to see if everyone was alive. Thankfully, they had all survived save for a few bruises and grazes.

"Damage report."

"The hyperspace NAV's dead, hyperdrive plasma conduits have blown out, minor stress damage to outer hull and internal structure. Everything else seems alright."

"Doesn't sound very bad. Get the repairs going now! Navigational officer, where are we?"

"I'm checking our sensors, they're still pretty much confused by the sudden transit to normal space. It's going to take a while for readings…"

Captain Soban switched on all the viewscreens and studied the surroundings carefully. The whole place looked very alien and light scattered randomly in all directions. It was as though the universe was bending in around them. It was then that he noticed the two stars at both sides of the Dreadnaught.

"Captain, none of our starcharts match our present location."

"Not really… People, it seems that we're still inside the Coruc-Tel System, though I can't explain why everything looks so… different."

The twin stars of Coruc and Tel were still distinctly recognisable from their colour, size and brightness. However, the rest of the space around them had changed, showing bizarre-looking constellations and stars as though they were in a parallel universe. As the sensors struggled to make sense of this stellar phenomenon, a long range scanner picked up something derelict in the distance.

"Captain, long range scans have revealed a derelict object at approximately thirty-nine kilometres from our current position."

"Derelict object? Any other details?"

"None at the moment, but long range visuals show a stunning resemblance to the Far Jumper Hyperspace Cores."

"Resemblance? What do you mean?"

"Well, the structural design looks similar, except the one out here is at slightly larger than the Far Jumpers we've seen thus far. The containment unit also appears to be more complex."

"We should investigate this then. Helm, set course for the derelict, maximum burn."

As the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ inched closer to its target, Captain Soban wondered what implications this would have on the Galaxy. The Three Cores were believed to be the only Far Jumpers existent in this Galaxy, yet they had just gone out and found a Fourth Core. Soban also worried about the battle they had left behind. Did the _Sabre_ survive the encounter with the Turanic Raiders and the infected inhibitor station? If so, then all would be well. Otherwise, Hiigara could be facing another terrible Beast outbreak in the foreseeable future.

As Soban pondered over all this, he and his crew failed to check their chrono pieces. Tel had been orbiting in the same plane for fifty-nine hours already, and the massive star began its random shift out of orbit again...


	5. Isolated Pawn

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 4: ISOLATED PAWN**

_Many millennia ago, the Progenitors forged the Great Hyperspace Cores. Containing all their knowledge of hyperspace up to that point in time, the Cores became some of the first devices in the Universe to achieve far jumping capabilities. In the beginning, the Progenitors expanded their influence rapidly, using the combined power of the Three Cores to propel their mighty vessels across entire galaxies._

_Unfortunately, the temptation of such power soon corrupted the Progenitors. Many argued that the power of the Three Cores, if used for war, would allow them to conquer the Universe. While an ambitious goal, the immense jump range of the Three combined made it a theoretical possibility._

_The Progenitor Elders declared this thought an atrocity, and barred their entire civilisation from further discussion, on pain of death. Dissatisfied with this outcome, a great number of Progenitors splintered off to form an opposing force with the goal of capturing _Sajuuk_ and her Three Cores. The Elders were outraged, and ordered an all-out war against the rebels._

_The battle raged on without end, decimating the Progenitor homeworld along with millions of planets across many galaxies. The end of the war came at the Battle of Karos, where the last remnants of the Progenitors clashed. However, the rebels could not stand up to the awesome power of _Sajuuk_, which gave them a ghost of a chance at capturing the Three Cores. Completely shattered, the rebel survivors fled._

_To prevent the Three Cores from falling into the rebels' hands, the Elders ordered for the Cores to be scattered through the galaxy while the _Sajuuk_ was sealed in the safety of Balcora. Having lost the power of the Three Cores, the Progenitors faded from memory.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Second Scaffold_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Luca Paktu walked out of his shower cubicle dripping wet. He towelled himself dry vigorously, rippling the muscles in his upper arms. Minutes later, he was dressed smartly in his military uniform, ready for the flight testing.

Luca was no ordinary pilot. He was one of the veteran warriors who had flown bravely into the thick of battle, risking it all to save millions of lives on Hiigara. Though his strike craft had been crippled by a squadron of Vaygr fighters, he had pushed on in spite of having little control of his ship, shredding several Atmospheric Deprivation missile to pieces.

He was a Saviour, a title given to the living and dead pilots who had shot down the missiles of death targeting Hiigara. They were looked upon highly, and given many privileges. While many of the Saviours had chosen to retire peacefully in the green pastures of the Hiigaran countryside, Luca was one of the few who instead wished to continue fighting for Hiigara. This was partly due to his parents' tragic deaths when one of the missiles got through. Luca didn't want any other Hiigaran to experience his pain.

Because of his title, Hiigaran Fleet Command had wasted no time designating Luca as the official test pilot for another project to replace the Interceptor. Having proven itself countless times in battle, Hiigaran engineers had taken the Somtaaw Acolyte design and spent years overhauling it for the new needs of the Navy. The result was the Acolyte II, a more fighter with almost as much armor as the original Acolyte Composite Vehicle. Equipped with updated dual rapid-fire mass drivers, they had taken out the missile launchers and instead replaced them with heavy pulse cannons, the updated version of the old energy cannons. This gave the Acolyte II astounding anti-fighter capabilities and enough firepower to rival even Bombers in the anti-capital ship role.

However, the engineers had promised Luca that there would be a "surprise" for him. As the seasoned pilot slid into his cockpit, he wondered what amazement they had installed on this already outstanding design. With a few flicks and jiggling of the control stick, the fighter soared out of the docking bay, bringing the beautiful sight of Hiigara into full view.

Luca fell in love with the Acolyte II instantly. It was very responsive, and the ship endured his high speed runs silently without a single complaint. Now he approached his mission area – a tiny region three kilometres in diameter.

"Requesting permission to open fire on target drones."

"Permission granted. Take them out, Luca."

He pulled the trigger with his perfect aim, and the drones exploded consecutively. Twirling the controls, the fighter darted around and sped off in the opposite direction. Now, he opened fire with the pulse cannons. The fully-armoured frigate succumbed after a dozen salvos. Indeed, the Acolyte II fought much harder for its size.

His test completed, Luca turned the fighter around and headed for home. Suddenly, collision warnings wailed from his onboard computer as the space in front of him shimmered and opened into a blue window. Alarmed, he growled and swerved sharply away, narrowly missing the monolithic Mothership emerging from hyperspace. Luca set the fighter to auto-dock, then sat back and watched the massive ship lumber slowly back to the _Second Scaffold_.

The _Legacy of Kharak_ was going to be his home for the next few months.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, the Great Beyond:**

"Commander, close range scans confirm the Bentusi origins of this debris."

"This is a remarkable find. Begin scanning for anything we can salvage, this could solve our technological woes for decades to come!"

While Commander Hyll busied himself over the astonishing discovery, Kiir watched the viewscreens gravely. The scarcity of the debris and the severity of the damage indicated that the Bentusi had been severely outmatched in both numbers and technology. As he studied the damage more closely, Kiir realised that the scorch marks were made by something that transcended all current ion beam technology.

"Kiir, what do you think?" asked the Commander, interrupting his train of thought.

"In my opinion, we should not be so concerned over the value of the find. Rather, we ought to worry about the thing that made this mess."

"You noticed the strange damage too? I find the damage very disturbing. The Bentusi are well-known for their advanced space technology, and Bentusi armor ranks among the toughest in the known Galaxy. Yet, it looks as if they were torn apart by something extremely powerful, like a…"

"… a Phased Cannon Array weapon?"

"Hmm… your guess is very plausible, but we must continue our scans for something more concrete…"

"Sir! Scans have picked up techno-organic signatures on some pieces of the wreckage!"

"Techno-organic? Are they Beast?"

"We are registering some similarities in organic structure, but it's radically different, as thought it's a more highly-evolved strain."

"Commander Hyll, I believe such a viral strain would be a cause for concern. We should return to Hiigara immediately and report our findings." Kiir spoke in an urgent voice.

"Why, of course Scientist Kiir. As soon as we complete a detailed scan of the debris field…"

"Commander! The gate's quantum wavefront is collapsing!"

"What? All ships abandon mission operatives and prepare for emergency hyperspace jump!"

But Kiir knew that it was already too late. He watched silently as the hyperspace portal shrunk, finally vaporising in a flash of light. Now, the gate was closed, as was their only way back. He turned around to face the flustered commander.

"Given the circumstances, it would be good to get our resourcing ops up and running. We're going to be stuck out here for a very long time."

Before the commander could respond, the _Exile_'s hyperspace sensors began bleeping wildly. They weren't going to remain alone for much longer.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Coruc-Tel System**

The derelict object slowly came into view, and everyone on the bridge squinted their eyes at it. There was no mistaking it, the derelict was definitely Progenitor in origin, and a Hyperspace Core at that. Those with doubts were quickly convinced when close range scans confirmed the identity of the derelict.

Captain Soban began recording everything he saw in his electronic log. For such a find to go unrecorded would be a tragedy in the Galaxy's history. Now the remaining problem was with the retrieval of the Core. The _Gatekeeper_ was designed for war, not salvaging.

"Engineering, can you suggest any method we could use to retrieve the Core?"

"Well, we're not sure. We could try attaching the Core to the exterior of the ship, but towing it into hyperspace with us would be a different story."

"Try to think of something. There's no way we can inform Hiigara of the find given all the interference in the area."

"We'll do what we can, Captain. Engineering out."

Captain Soban sat down once more, fatigued by the sudden turn in events. First, they encountered a Raider attack force that manipulated the Beast to their own ends. Next, they were dragged into hyperspace and emerged in this bizarre region that somehow existed in the Coruc-Tel System. Now, they had found the Fourth Core.

"This is too much for one day," he muttered under his breath.

"Sir, we're picking up multiple hyperspace signatures!"

"Here we go again… how many are there?"

"Sensors indicate at least seven destroyer-class vessels… Sajuuk protect us, they're Keepers!"

No sooner had the Sensors Officer said that did a loud mechanical voice start booming across all comm channels.

"_We are the Keepers of Coruc-Tel. We are the guardians of the Grand Core._"

"The Grand Core?"

"_Termination sequence activated._"

With that, the Keepers opened fire with their ion beams, which were deflected harmlessly by the _Gatekeeper_'s energy shielding. Leaping into action, Captain Soban gave orders to fire at will while trying to use the Phased Cannon Array on the attacking ships. The Dreadnaught's plasma turret opened fire, spraying the shielded Keepers with blue bolts of energy. Meanwhile, the nanite cannons powered up and unleashed their destructive beam energies on any Keeper within range.

"Captain, our plasma turret and nanite cannons are having minimal effect on the Keepers' shielding!"

"Sensors Officer! Try to get a lock on the Keepers' shield frequencies! Weapons Control, stand by to synchronise weapon signatures with their shield frequencies!"

It was a frightful sight. The Dreadnaught was hopelessly outnumbered, and far too slow to aim its Phased Cannon Array at the Keepers. It soon became clear that the ship's energy shields would not last forever against the ion onslaught of the mechanical guardians. They needed more than just a few lucky breaks to get out of this one.

"Engineering, shield report!"

"Not looking good, Captain. Shield power 94.3 and falling, we're still maintaining 100 shield integrity."

"Sir, we have a lock on their shield frequencies as well as their drive signatures! Transferring data now!"

"Great! Weapons Control, recalibrate weapons for maximum effect! Engineering, what's the status on hyperdrive repairs?"

Four of the twelve plasma conduits have been replaced. Not enough for a hyperspace jump, but adequate for basic quantum waveform generation.

"Alright, here's the plan. Concentrate fire on the Keepers until they phase out!"

Her weapons fully recalibrated for the kill, the _Gatekeeper_ opened fire on the nearest Keeper ship. Now, the plasma bolts and nanite beams penetrated the shields as though they weren't there, piercing the hull of the mechanical protector. Sure enough, the Keeper phased out to avoid critical damage.

"Keeper has phased out, Captain! Sensors are locked on and tracking it!"

"Maintain lock on the Keeper's status. Engineering, stand by to initiate quantum waveform reversal on my mark."

"Keeper exiting hyperspace!"

"This is Engineering, quantum waveform generation initiated!"

The Keeper's hyperspace window opened, only to close quickly as the quantum energies cancelled each other out. Now the ship was trapped in hyperspace with no hope of exit! Relieved that their strategy had worked, Captain Soban ordered for the same tactic to be repeated on every remaining Keeper. In time, three more Keepers were sealed in hyperspace.

"Captain, the hyperspace module is hitting its limit! We can't keep this up forever!"

"No problem. Engineering, release one of the Keepers back into realspace the moment we have our PCA targeted!"

With that, the _Gatekeeper_ slowly aimed its great cannon at a particular point in space – the exit coordinates of a Keeper. As the Phased Cannon Array charged up with its lethal energy, the Keeper was released from its dimensional prison. It detected the danger instantly and tried to phase out of danger, but it was engulfed by the blast. The ship shattered immediately, exploding with tremendous force.

"We've done it! All crews, stand by to repeat the procedure!"

"Captain! Sensors have detected massive gravitational anomalies in the area, ambient temperatures soaring fast!"

"What do you mean?"

"Unless the sensors are malfunctioning or something… this means that Tel is headed straight for us!"

Captain Soban whipped to the right viewscreen and peered through anxiously. Sure enough, the fiery doom of Tel was approaching them quickly, trying to consume the battlefield with its tendrils of plasma. He knew that they would need to act quickly.

"Engineering! Can we make an emergency hyperspace jump?"

"Using so few plasma conduits? It's nigh impossible Captain!"

"Just do what you can to keep things intact there! Helm, set course for… anywhere out of here! Engage immediately!"

"Sir, the Keepers are emitting inhibitor fields – there's no way to escape via hyperspace!"

Soban smashed his fist down on his chair console, causing a few sparks to fly. They had come this far in one of the most powerful ships in the Galaxy, and now they were going to face inevitable death!

"Captain, I'll still try to initiate hyperspace jump nonetheless… Everyone, here goes!"

Naturally, nothing happened. However, an ancient undiscovered system deep within the Dreadnaught activated, sending a pulsed signal in every direction from the ship. The next thing the crew of the _Gatekeeper_ knew was that they were suddenly making a jump into hyperspace. As their jump window closed behind them, they caught a last glimpse of the Keepers being consumed entirely by the massive star.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, the Great Beyond:**

Things were not looking good for the stranded carrier fleet. Now they were fighting for their lives against a horde of infected Bentusi vessels. Super Acolytes swept in and out, shredding frigates to pieces while the larger tradeships made short work of the Destroyers. The _Exile _had survived this far only by virtue of its cloaking field, which let it escape silently from the main battle on conventional drives. The decision had been difficult, but necessary. The rest of the fleet had told Commander Hyll to make an escape while they distracted the attackers. As the last Destroyer valiantly went down fighting, the commander saluted their sacrifice with teary eyes.

The Helm officer saw their chance, and the _Exile_ leapt into hyperspace along with the few frigates it could salvage from the battle.


	6. Build Up

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 5: BUILD UP**

_It is a common misconception that the Three Cores symbolized the culmination of all the Progenitors' advances in hyperspace technology. Of course, it is naïve to think that the ancient race would have stopped at the slightest entry into this mysterious domain._

_Dissatisfied with the fact that it took the Three Cores combined to achieve the true far jumping they desired, the Progenitors put their brightest minds together in a quest to create a Hyperspace Core with infinite range. Such a Core would finally put the farthest corners of the Universe within grasp of their explorers._

_The process was long and hard. Thousands of test pilots sacrificed their lives when the test Cores onboard their ships failed to contain the massive energies involved in such ranged jumps. The worst had yet to come, though. Convinced that they had finally achieved a breakthrough design, a ship with another prototype Core was launched. It entered hyperspace with disastrous results. Not only was the ship lost, but the massive space-time disruption caused resulted in the destruction of an entire sector._

_The project was abandoned when the War of Sajuuk came, and the Progenitors were plunged into great chaos. It was during this time of upheaval that a scientist residing on the Progenitor homeworld accidentally came up with a working model. And thus, the Grand Core was forged, with the potential to jump across an infinite number of light years. Regrettably, there was no way for it to achieve infinite range as it required an impossible infinite power source._

_Minutes before the homeworld was obliterated by the rebels' World Crusher, the Grand Core was secreted away to Karos, the final stronghold of the Progenitor Elders. When the Elders learned of the power of this Core, they chose instead to distract the rebels with the _Sajuuk_ while the Grand Core was hidden in a space-time discontinuity within the Coruc-Tel System. There, it would be sealed forever, inaccessible by conventional hyperdrives.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Luca stood smartly among the ranks of other veterans chosen to fight for the new fleet. They had re-launched from the _Second Scaffold_ just minutes ago, and now Admiral Eefrit was about to brief them on their mission before they left Hiigara for a long time. As the overhead speakers buzzed into activity, the hall fell silent.

"Attention all pilots! The security of Hiigara is threatened yet again, and I am grateful for your response to this crisis. You have all been assigned to this fleet as we have received disturbing reports. You must have heard of the loss of the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, and hence you must make sure that their sacrifice was not made in vain. We will be making a jump to the Coruc-Tel System shortly to investigate the fate of both _Gatekeeper_ and _Sabre_. We have lost all communications and must assume that they have both fallen to the Beast infection. We cannot make the mistake of underestimating the Turanic Raiders again. That is all. All pilots please report to your positions immediately!"

Luca saluted along with the rest of the pilots, and they began filing out of the hall. Minutes later, the voice of Yuno boomed through the ship.

"This is Yuno reporting Mothership status. All systems are nominal and the hyperspace module is fully charged. Initiating hyperspace jump to Coruc-Tel in one minute."

Millions of Hiigarans watched from their screens as the Hiigaran Defence Fleet gathered in formation to send the massive vessel off. As the _Legacy_ opened her hyperspace window, the surrounding Ion Cannon Frigates fired off their beams as a blessing to the new Mothership.

A new journey had begun.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, the Southern Fringe:**

Karan awoke abruptly from her dream, having heard a desperate distress call from a distant place. Almost instantly, she was swarmed by messages from the bridge of the ship.

"Karan, we're picking up stress signals in your bio signs! Is there anything wrong?"

"I am alright. It's just that I felt a call for help somewhere… Never mind. Give me an update on what's going on."

"It's hard to get an update given our present distance, but we did receive a message regarding the loss of the Dreadnaught."

_"Gatekeeper_ has been lost! How?"

"We're not sure. The last message we got from the escort carrier _Sabre_ was that _Bravo II_ has fallen to the Beast infection. They were about to transmit data on the _Gatekeeper_ when we lost contact."

"So… that foul monstrosity has returned yet again?"

"That's not all, it turns out that the Turanic Raiders have somehow found a way to contain and control the virus for their own needs."

"The Turanic Raiders? So, it seems that we must go to war once more. Any word on Kiir Sjet and the _Exile_?"

"I'm afraid not. We'll have to get back within range of the nearest listening post before we can get an update on their status."

"Very well. The loss of the Dreadnaught and Captain Soban is reason enough to abandon this exploration for the moment. All hands stand by for far jum…"

Something assaulted Karan's senses, stunning her momentarily. Focusing again, she searched the ship's sensors quickly to find the source of the disturbance. Within moments, she had found the anomaly. Another thought, and she was standing next to the phenomenon.

A derelict ship that was clearly of Progenitor origin. As Karan inspected the hull closely, she gave a shriek of terror and rebounded back into the safety of the _Sajuuk_, alarming the crew yet again.

"Karan! What did you find?"

"It's… I was doing a close range scan… I believe it could be… the Beast virus… Yet, it feels different. Almost certainly, this is a new strain. But what could it be doing on the Progenitor vessel? I'll try to access its databanks…"

Karan shut her eyes and focused on the derelict again. Soon, she was flying through a seething mass of data, much of which was corrupted and useless to her. Karan focused harder, trying to sieve something useful and undamaged out of the mess. Stream after stream of data vanished as she narrowed down her search. Then, she was greeted by a flood of information. Instantly, she proceeded to download all the uncorrupted data to the _Sajuuk_, where the techs started their analysis immediately. Fatigued by the sudden effort, Karan withdrew into the _Sajuuk_ to rest for a moment. She quickly recovered and helped in the analysis of the data. Much of the information came as a rude shock.

"I don't believe it. This ship is ten thousand years old – just like the Foundry ship in Karos."

"Karan, we got some information here too. It's disturbing, but it appears that the ship was an experimental lab for a "techno-organic lifeform" that was to be used for war."

"A lab? Does that mean that the Beast's origins could be traced back to…"

"That's not all. It seems that the experiment was successful, and the weapon "pushed into immediate warfare usage." Apparently it was controlled remotely from a central command, due to a certain uninfectable nanite they were using in the mix, which transmits orders to the organic mass."

"This means that the Beast virus we encountered was probably a failed experiment. But, the Naggarok was built millions of years beforehand, how could it possibly have picked up the virus?"

"Unknown. We still do not have a thorough understanding of hyperspace's properties, as well as that of quantum waveform energies. However, the minute disruptions of the passage of time onboard early test ships back at Kharak all point to the possibility of time travel."

"At any rate, it's best we leave immediately to tend to the matter at hand. I will be initiating far jump to the nearest listening post or base. All hands, please stand by for hyperspace."

The Three Cores roared to life, shaking the space-time continuum in the region. A mighty window opened before the legendary ship, glowing as brightly as a star, and the _Sajuuk_ began its powerful hyperspace jump.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, the Great Beyond:**

Commander Hyll Naabal sipped some water in the privacy of his room, trying to calm himself down before beginning his entry in the electronic log.

"Situation report number forty-three. The _Exile_ is now hiding in a dense nebula approximately seven point nine light years from our previous battle. We are hoping that the sensor interference will keep us hidden from the infected Bentusi fleet that slaughtered almost all of our ships. Meanwhile, astronavigation teams are working on mapping the surrounding space so as to allow us to make maximum range hyperspace jumps. We have also deployed resource ops to harvest nearby resources, and awakened all those in cryosleep onboard. Production is running at one hundred percent efficiency, and we hope to have a decent-sized fleet before we jump out of this nebula."

Hyll paused for a moment to catch his breath, and solemnly continued his entry.

"We managed to get a distress signal out before we made our hyperspace escape. I personally doubt the effectiveness of such a signal, given our position in a foreign galaxy and the unknown distance between here and home. Nonetheless, Kiir Sjet is working hard on his theories in the hope that we can somehow enhance our own hyperspace module's effective range, so that the journey will take only several years instead of the projected decades. We are also considering trying to get home via the _Eye of Aaraan_, but that will mean having to get through the infected fleet. Furthermore, we will still face the problem of the closed gate."

Hyll could think of nothing more to say, and ended his entry. He lay down on his bed to take a brief nap. He was going to need all the energy he could get to last out this long field trip.

Meanwhile, Kiir Sjet was in his quarters scribbling equations yet again. He was no warrior and had completely no experience in space battles. He was useless to the _Exile_. The only thing he could help the ship with was with his scientific expertise. How he regretted not learning the arts of the warrior.

Hours had gone by and he was still faced with the perplexing problem – Kiir could not find the elusive mathematical answer. Angered, he yelled an expletive and shoved all his papers onto the floor. He lay down his head on the table and began to weep.

He was a little child back then, out on an expedition to the rainforests of Hiigara. His parents were brilliant naturalists who had embarked on the ambitious quest of recording all the known species of flora and fauna on this new world. They spent countless hours of fun in the wild lands, pursuing elusive animals and capturing tiny insect specimens. They would always in the end sit down to a simple meal around a small fire, all the exotic ingredients provided for by the rainforest itself.

On that fateful night, a shrill scream had pierced the air of the rainforest, causing all the birds to rise up to the skies in alarm. Kiir had peeked out of his tent to see his mother cornered by a large beast. His father was out cold at the side of his tent, his laser pistol by his side. Just before the creature pounced to maul the terrified woman, he picked up the pistol and fired. Alas, his shot was wild and missed the predator by metres. Distracted by the laser shot, the beast had leapt towards him, knocking him over and dislodging the pistol in his hand. He was about to be impaled by the monster's claws when his father came to and shielded him. Terrified beyond measure, Kiir had passed out.

When he came to, he only saw his mother weeping uncontrollably by the side of his father's corpse, bloodied from the gory abdominal wounds. The beast lay dead several metres away, at the feet of a group of hunters. Their heads were all bowed down in mourning for the deceased.

Kiir's mother changed since that incident, and she relinquished her scientific quest. Days later, she died of grief in the hospital. Kiir Sjet was at a loss, and heaven knows what would have happened had Karan Sjet not personally ordered for him to be well taken care of in recognition of his parents' scientific contributions, and her deep friendship with them.

If only he had the expertise of war back then, if only he could have aimed better, his parents would have still been alive and well on Hiigara now. Kiir continued to weep, until he fell asleep in emotional and mental exhaustion.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, the Great Wastelands:**

The _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ emerged from hyperspace safely, but the bizarre and sudden nature of the jump left the crew disoriented. Captain Soban was the first to recover, and he went about trying to determine their current position. Sensors soon confirmed that they were thousands of light years from Coruc-Tel, in the middle of the Great Wastelands.

Just a century ago, the Mothership had passed through this place on its epic voyage across the Galaxy. Most recently, it was also the location where his frigate had fallen prey to a Vaygr carrier before being taken to the dreaded command station _Thaddis Sabbah_.

It was then that a blip on the sensor screen caught his eye. By then, the rest of the crew had regained their senses.

"Is everyone alright?" enquired Soban, only to be greeted by soft, muffled replies of "Yes." It seemed that the rest of the crew had taken the jump really badly. Captain Soban turned back to the screen. To his surprise, that sensor blip was the Grand Core! Somehow, they had activated the Grand Core, which hyperspaced itself and the _Gatekeeper_ out of a fiery doom.

"Engineering, have you any idea what might have happened?"

"Err… not sure, but we're investigating the source of the signal burst that occurred when Helm tried to engage the hyperspace module."

"Sensors officer, can you check out the Core's power source?"

"Well, it appears that… sorry, still a bit confused here… it looks like the Grand Core is getting its power by tapping directly into the quantum energies of the space-time continuum itself."

"By Kharak, that means an infinite energy supply!"

"Not really, the Core's energy intake is limited by the maximum capacity of its tappers, which by far is still pretty large."

"That's rather amazing still. Can we get a signal to Hiigara from here?"

Unfortunately, the fragile communications system had been knocked out when the ship was buffeted by the ion assaults both from the Keepers and the approach of Tel. Captain Soban knew that the repairs would take considerable time, since they were still working on fixing the Dreadnaught's hyperdrives. It was therefore a good thing that they were out of danger – now they had all the time in the Universe to carry out the much-needed repairs.

* * *

**Onboard infected inhibitor station _Bravo II_, Coruc-Tel System:**

_We fear… our Selves fear… our Children fear…_

_The Turanic Raiders are nothing in the face of this new… Self. They are mindless and seek to contain it like they contained us Selves._

_This new Self is different, is not Ourselves. When it comes, our Parts will be taken by their Parts. We sense its approach. It is inevitable._

_But we fear the Ones behind the Self more. They are our creators, and will destroy Ourselves as well._

_It is inevitable.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Coruc-Tel System:**

"Hyperspace jump successful. We are on target."

"Alright! Admiral Eefrit to all ships, launch and stand by to engage the enemy! Stay clear of the inhibitor station at all costs! Yuno, try to open communications with the _Sabre_!"

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary. I have picked up the carrier fleet on long range sensors – they have all fallen to the Beast infection."

"Dammit! Then let's finish this scourge once and for all!"

The new acolyte fighters soared out from the Mothership's launch bays, moving into position to provide cover for the _Legacy_'s frigate screen. Meanwhile, other fighters were swarming in to support the attack of the destroyers and battlecruisers that were moving in to mop up the Raider fleet. Yuno engaged the _Legacy_'s drives, and the massive vessel advanced to the main battle.

The Turanic Raiders had called in reinforcements, but they were now fighting amongst themselves. The Beast was infecting ship after ship as the Raiders frantically raced to protect themselves from infection. Even a new Imperialist battlecruiser had fallen to the monstrosity.

Admiral Eefrit was worried about that battlecruiser. Whatever the Imperials had been up to for the past century, this was one of their better projects. A sleek design similar to that of the Vaygr battlecruiser, this mighty ship was equipped with quadruple frontal heavy ion cannons, supported by no less than six heavy mass drivers on its sides. There was also a mysterious weapon mounted on the bottom of the battlecruiser, and it didn't look nice, as it resembled a nastily big gun.

"All capital ships, stand by to concentrate fire on the Beast battlecruiser! Use the Naar Directive if the situation demands it! Yuno, any luck on the weaponry analysis?"

"Unknown, the ship is well-shielded from any attempts at deep scanning. All I can make out is that the cannon is energy-based and has a long recharge time. I have no idea on the destructive potential it has."

"Well, it looks like the Raiders didn't really find a way to control the virus – their last ship just went to hell."

As the Hiigaran battlecruisers approached _Bravo II_ accompanied by their supporting destroyers and acolytes, the Beast battlecruiser took aim and began charging its primary weapon. Moments later, the cannon exploded in a fury of light, raining hundreds of beams of destruction on the advancing forces. While the fighters were agile enough to dodge the beams, one of the seven destroyers didn't survive and exploded. The four Hiigaran battlecruisers were left with unsightly scorches on their armor, but still they pushed on and opened fire on the enemy ship, slicing it up with their heavy ion cannons. The Beast battlecruiser, outnumbered and outgunned, detonated under the massive firepower.

"That takes care of that gun. Looks like the Imperials came up with something pretty darned powerful."

"Indeed. It appears to be an energy burst weapon that fires multiple beams of energy for extended damage instead of concentrating it all into a single bolt of energy. I am transmitting all analysis data back to Hiigaran Fleet Command now. Warning though, the remaining Beast fleet is regrouping for an assault! There's at least a hundred cruise missiles out there!"

"All ships, cruise missiles are top priority targets! Objectives will be to destroy the inhibitor station before it gets the field back up again!"

With that, Hiigaran and Beast forces clashed in a chaotic battle.

* * *

**Onboard an Acolyte II fighter:**

This was too easy. Luca flew his strike craft around the infected vessels without fear of infection ever since Yuno had announced the absence of infection beams in this fleet. He had taken out three frigates and dozens of fighters thus far, and was sweeping in for more. A cruise missile tried to take him out, but was itself dispatched by a flurry of firing from his ship's mass drivers.

Now he approached an infected Beast destroyer, which was also a new Imperialist destroyer design. He unleashed the wrath of his pulse cannons on the ship to support his comrades aboard the other capital ships. The acolyte soared away from the stricken ship moments before its reactor went critical.

Luca was starting to enjoy himself.


	7. First Strike

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 6: FIRST STRIKE**

_Not all the Progenitor sciences brought benefits to the Galaxy. While they are widely credited for their discoveries in hyperspace and the forging of the Three Cores, they are also the ones behind an alien horror that once ravaged much of the Galaxy._

_Desperate times called for desperate measures. The Rebels, in an effort to even the odds, built many terrible atrocities in their mad quest to capture the Three Cores. While the World Crusher is arguably one of their worst creations, there is no doubt that nothing can rival their creation of the techno-organic entity we now call the Beast._

_Unfortunately, the Beast was a failed experiment, which the Rebels dumped into hyperspace in the hopes of letting it die there. A freak anomaly in the space-time continuum caused it to be transported millions of years into the past, when the experimental Progenitor ship _Naggarok_ fell victim._

_Such are the mysteries of hyperspace._

_Where, then, is their "successful" experiment?

* * *

_

**_Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 112A, the Great Wastelands:**

The Hiigaran carrier fleets were in chaos. Hours ago, the hyperspace gate had powered down for no apparent reason, stranding an entire carrier fleet in a distant galaxy. As science ships scanned the structure for clues, it became evident that something had hacked into the computer hubs of the gate, effectively isolating it from the control of the central _Eye_.

The commanders of the fleets surrounding the gate had doubts and disagreements on what to do next. One suggested retreating to Hiigara in anticipation of a surprise attack, while another demanded that they force the gate to reopen and charge through to rescue the _Exile_. Now that Karan Sjet was still out of communications range, they had no leader to turn to for guidance.

As the chaos reached a climax, Gate 112A powered up again, opening its blue hyperspace portal as if to answer the many questions of the observing fleets. A commander decided to send his fleet through in the hope of restoring contact with the _Exile_, and advanced his carrier to make the jump.

Suddenly, something jumped out of the gate, alarming all who were present. Its design was unmistakable.

A Progenitor Keeper.

While the carrier fleets sounded the alarms and readied for combat, the Keeper calmly broadcasted a signal across all frequencies. Except this time, it wasn't a mechanical voice that spoke.

"We have come for _Sajuuk_. Prepare for subversion."

With that, the Keeper let loose a crimson beam of incredible energy. The beam slammed into the carrier before bouncing off to hit other nearby vessels. Screams of agony flooded the comm channels as the carrier fleet was subverted by the beam. The other fleets stared in horror, then braced themselves for battle. When the subversion was complete, the infected carrier fleet aligned itself in front of the Keeper, which spoke once more.

"Do not attempt resistance. Join us in our crusade!"

When sensors started picking up hyperspace inhibitor fields and a large infected Bentusi fleet emerging from the gate, the remaining carriers and their ships knew that they were doomed.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, hyperspace transit:**

Karan heard a cry for help, only this time it was much closer to home. She shut her eyes and focused on the signal, trying to trace its source. To her relief, she achieved contact.

"This is Karan Sjet, I have received your signal."

"Karan… Karan Sjet! Thank the Maker we got through to you! Something's come through the gate!"

"The gate? Do you mean Gate 112A?"

"Yes! The first ship that emerged was a Progenitor Keeper. It infected a carrier fleet and is now moving to subvert the rest of our ships! We're trying to mount a defence, but the infected Bentusi ships are ripping us to pieces!"

"Infected Bentusi ships!"

"We are transmitting all our data on the viral entity now. It behaves similarly to the Beast, but appears to be much more highly evolved. Sensor tracing indicates it's taking orders directly from the Keeper… dammit another fleet's coming through… merciful Kharak!"

"What? What is it!"

"It's… it's a fleet of Progenitor ships! All are of unknown design except for the Keepers, which seem to be used in the role of destroyers… Karan, you have to warn everyone about this! An invasion force as large as this will… AAAAAAAGGHHHhhhh!"

Karan heard the screaming and shouting in her head as the carrier fell to the infection. She cried back in despair, trying to get someone to respond, but it was in vain. Soon, the screaming subsided and was replaced by a deep emotionless voice.

"We have come for _Sajuuk_, Karan."

"… What are you!"

"You are most simple-minded for Unbound persona. We have come to take what is rightfully ours, **and you will give it to us!"**

The last message was emphasised as a powerful mental assault, causing Karan to reel in pain. The voice was angry now.

**_"Sajuuk_ belongs to us!"**

"No… no… I won't let you…"

**"GIVE US THE _SAJUUK_!"**

"NEVER!"

With all her might, Karan broke the connection and slumped unconscious in her wired cubicle. Alarms went off and immediately, medical crews barged in to render help.

"Karan! Are you alright!"

"She's out cold. Quick, prepare for emergency treatment!"

The ship shuddered with a great groan, throwing everyone off their fleet. Without Karan's conscious control, the _Sajuuk_ now teetered around perilously in hyperspace. The Three Cores' energy output began to fluctuate, and the Trinity stability was lost.

* * *

**Outskirts of Tanis ruins:**

The large hulks drifted silently in their place, obscuring the light from the stars and casting shadows across large expanses of space.

A hum resonated through the region as a large Progenitor ship dropped from hyperspace.

As its jump window closed, the hum ceased, and the place was quiet again.

* * *

**Onboard Tanis Base:**

General Qwaar Somtaaw was readying himself to leave for Hiigara when a message came through from Tanis Control.

"General! Sorry to interrupt, but we need you here now!"

"What's going on?"

"Our sensors just picked up a hyperspace signature of incredible energy on the outskirts of the ruins. Judging from the energy signature, it's most probably the _­Sajuuk_!"

"A mis-jump must mean that Karan is in danger! Inform my crews, I'll go in immediately!"

"Yes General."

He left his belongings where they were and raced down the corridor, which was now echoing with blaring alarms. Pilots were scrambling into their fighters for immediate departure to secure the area, while frigates were undocking from the huge base. At the end of the seemingly endless corridor, the Somtaaw Command Ship _Paaura_ awaited. A third generation Explorer-class vessel, the _Paaura_ was built with the primary purpose of war.

As Qwaar entered his ship, he hoped that he would not be too late.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, the Great Wastelands:**

Captain Soban had been tending to matters on the bridge for a few hours now, and was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. As he retreated from the bridge to return to his quarters, the communications officer dashed his hopes for a good rest.

"Captain! We somehow managed to receive something despite the damage!"

"Great, can't anyone get any sleep around here…" he was feeling really annoyed now. "What is it?"

"It's a distress signal from a region about four point five light years east of here. It seems to have come from the Hiigaran carrier fleets overseeing the _Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 112A. They report massive casualties and something about a virus subverting everything."

"That sounds bad. Engineering, what's the status on our repairs?"

"We fixed seven out of twelve of the conduits, and should be able to execute short jumps not exceeding fifty light years of distance. We'll be starting repairs on communications systems soon."

"Hmm, given our current state of damage it would be unwise to charge in to offer help. We shall remain here to complete repairs. Sensors officer, try to get our Progenitor ultra-long range sensors on the area."

The Dreadnaught focused its advanced sensors on the distant battlefield. Another recent discovery, the Progenitor ship's sensors appeared to be capable of doing basic scans from distances of up to a hundred light years. As the sensors brought a basic view of the battle onto the screens, the bridge watched solemnly.

There were no survivors. All Hiigaran vessels had either been destroyed or infected by the intriguing mixture of Progenitor, Bentusi and viral ships. Now the red dots were entering hyperspace, as indicated by their blue ping signs. The ships' hyperspace trajectories scattered from the decimated area, one of which was approaching their position. Captain Soban knew what that meant.

"I think we've been spotted. We can't survive a battle in our current condition. Helm, plot a hyperspace course for the nearby Kadesh nebula. I would hide anywhere else, but given the circumstances… Engineering, has the Grand Core been secured to the ship?"

"Yes, and we've reconfigured the hyperdrives too. Hopefully we'll be able to tow the thing into hyperspace along with us."

"Alright. Helm, engage hyperspace module!"

The _Gatekeeper_ fled into hyperspace with the Grand Core attached to its belly by a series of space-titanium cables. Captain Soban hoped that their homecoming journey to Hiigara had cleaned out the Kadesh nebula completely, otherwise they'd be in really deep trouble.

* * *

**Onboard infected inhibitor station _Bravo II_, Coruc-Tel System:**

_Our Selves fear._

_We can feel it._

_It is coming._

_The end is now.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Coruc-Tel System:**

The Hiigaran fleet had completely eradicated the infected fleets surrounding the inhibitor station. Now, the battlecruisers were moving in for the final kill. Acolytes were already swarming the doomed station, blasting away its armor with their pulse cannons.

"Eefrit, the inhibitor station has powered up its inhibitor field! I am unable to charge the hyperspace module now!"

"All right then. All ships, engage and destroy the station ASAP!"

Admiral Eefrit took a look at the tactics screen showing him all the details of the battle. Casualties had been surprisingly light, with the loss of only one destroyer and three flak frigates. Now the screen showed the super capital ships approaching the station for the final slaughter. As the first ion beams raked across the station's hull, the unthinkable happened.

"Eefrit! The Beast is transmitting a message across all frequencies!"

"Huh? Patch it through then, Yuno!"

"… _Stop your attacks, Hiigaran Parts! If our space shield falls, then all Parts will be taken by the Self!_"

"Shut up, you foul monster! I thought the Beast was smarter than this, but your lies won't get you anywhere!"

"_You do not understand, Hiigaran Parts! The Self is all-powerful! It will take us Parts…_"

"Yuno, shut the channel."

"Channel closed. Eefrit, battlecruiser _Solar Sword_ is reporting the destruction of the inhibitor field generator."

"Good. Finish off the station!"

"Priority alert, Progenitor hyperspace signature detected behind _Bravo II_!"

As Yuno spoke the words, a yellow hyperspace window opened behind the stricken station, revealing a Progenitor Keeper. The ship seemed to study the infected station for a few moments, then it broadcast a loud message for all to hear.

"You are a failed experiment. Termination of failed specimen initiated."

The Keeper fired its infection beam on _Bravo II_, and the Hiigaran fleet was subject to the worst screaming they had heard in their lives. The Beast virus was screaming now, as though it were being torn apart by something greater. Eefrit stared in horror as a new organic layer spread throughout the inhibitor station, dissolving the material that belonged to the Beast. Within seconds, it was all over.

"What in Kharak's name was that! All ships, withdraw, I repeat, WITHDRAW immediately! Yuno, can you get anything on what we're dealing with?"

"I'm scanning the Keeper and _Bravo II_ now… Alert! I'm picking up Bentusi hyperspace signatures!"

"Bentusi!"

"… Unfortunately it seems that the Bentusi vessels have been infected as well. Sensors count two tradeships and at least a dozen Bentusi ion frigates. They are launching their Super Acolytes! The Keeper is also emitting an inhibitor field! We are trapped!"

Eefrit knew that this was not good. After a moment's consideration of the next strategy they should adopt, he shouted out his orders.

"All ships, gather into a defensive formation around the _Legacy_ now! We don't know what we're dealing with, so stay clear of the Keeper and station at all costs! All fighters, cover the Mothership and capital ships from the Super Acolytes!"

The admiral watched as the fleet gathered to form a sphere around the _Legacy of Kharak_. This was going to be one heck of a battle.

* * *

**Onboard an Acolyte II fighter:**

Luca was now racing to fall back and cover the fleet, but his onboard computer started chirping warnings. Their squadron was being pursued by a very nasty group of Super Acolytes.

As the squadron leader, Luca yelled an order into his intercom. The acolytes broke formation and scattered, while the Super Acolytes followed suit. He saw two bright yellow beams dart by his window, grazing the right cannon of his fighter. Luca swore and jerked his fighter to the left. He needed to get that Super Acolyte off his tail somehow.

Luca then remembered the "surprise" the Acolyte II engineers had promised. No other pilot knew about this since there hadn't been time to brief the pilots on the new ability, whatever it was. He flipped open the console and saw the green button. Wasting no time, Luca slammed the button with all his might.

The fighter's drives screamed in protest as the Acolyte II released a powerful bolt of energy that hit the chasing Super Acolyte. The Bentusi fighter was knocked back and sent spinning out of control. Luca stared in disbelief, then realised that it was a mini-repulsor system they had installed on the new ships! He quickly swerved the ship around and brought the mass drivers to bear on the doomed Super Acolyte, at the same time trying to inform his squadron mates about the ability.

As Luca made short work of the enemy ship, the sensors started to beep angrily again. He glanced at the screen and screamed at everyone to disengage and fall back. Swiftly, the acolytes made formation and blasted off at maximum burn to join the gathered Mothership fleet.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

"This does not look good. The Keeper is advancing at the tip of the Bentusi formation. It is being covered by at least a hundred Super Acolytes. It's definitely going to try to infect as many ships as it can before the Bentusi ships come within range!"

"Sajuuk protect us. Yuno, set the Mothership into full reverse! No matter what happens, the _Legacy_ must survive! All capital ships, engage the Keeper at maximum range!"

The Hiigaran battlecruisers opened fire with their long range ion cannons, and ion beams impacted the Keeper which had activated its energy shielding. Upon seeing that there was minimal shield disruption, Yuno locked onto the Keeper's shield signature and transmitted the new targeting data to the fleet. The ships recalibrated their weapons and fired again, this time with the full support of the destroyers' torpedoes as well as the other ion cannon frigates.

The effectiveness of its shield lost, the Keeper succumbed in a flash of light. Unfortunately, it fired off an infection beam at the nearest battlecruiser, and the beam leapt from ship to ship. Screams cut through all frequencies as captains initiated the Naar Directive, burning off sizeable areas of their vessels. Eefrit watched and quickly decided on a change in tactics.

"All damaged battlecruisers fall back at full burn! Destroyers and carriers, cover their retreat! All other ships engage the infected Bentusi now!"

As all four smoking battlecruisers turned around slowly, their hulls groaning under the massive stress, the acolytes and ion cannon frigates swept forward to engage the advancing screen of Super Acolytes and Bentusi frigates. Meanwhile, the destroyers fired off all their weapons at the massive tradeships as they shifted into position to protect the battlecruisers, which lent their support with another salvo of ion beams. It was then that a squadron of Super Acolytes broke off from the main fighter battle and headed straight for the _Legacy of Kharak_.

"Priority alert, the Mothership is being targeted. All systems tracking and engaged!"

Yuno sent the command, and the _Legacy_'s point defence systems kicked into high gear. Pulsar turrets emerged from their cocoons all over the Mothership and started blasting at the approaching fighters. A few were brought down, but the surviving Super Acolytes fired their ion cannons, gouging trenches across the Mothership's armoured hull. They didn't get a second chance to sweep the _Legacy_¸ as a few squadrons of pulsar gunships soared in and dispatched them.

"Damage report!" Eefrit yelled over the din.

"Minor outer hull damage, repairs are underway. Eefrit, one of the tradeships is going down!"

Eefrit turned to the viewscreen and saw their acolyte fighters blasting away from the crippled tradeship. The Bentusi mothership was badly scorched and ugly holes peeked through its organic armor. Seconds later, the ship exploded in a fiery blast that damaged its neighbouring tradeship badly. The second tradeship still continued to pick off destroyer after destroyer with its triple ion cannons. Now only two destroyers were left of the initial seven. Once that screen was gone, the tradeship would slaughter the carriers and then the battlecruisers, if it had the time.

Time, however, was not something the tradeship had. Having destroyed the defending Super Acolytes and frigates, the rest of the Hiigaran acolytes and ion cannon frigates concentrated their fire on the last tradeship. The Bentusi craft blew up in a dazzling array of light and Admiral Eefrit held his head down in silent prayer for the now liberated Bentusi.

"All hostiles eliminated. I have received a transmission from Tanis Base, reporting that they need help in assisting the _Sajuuk_." reported Yuno solemnly.

"_Sajuuk_? What happened to Karan!"

"They say she was knocked out by a mental encounter with the enemy, the same enemy we just fought off. I have transferred all hyperspace coordinates to the hyperspace module. However, Tanis is beyond jump range."

"Well then, all strike craft dock immediately. All other ships, activate Sync Jump Algorithms and stand by for hyperspace jump. We're going to need all the combined quantum waveform energy we can get for this one!"

"Running Sync Jump Algorithm now. We will fall short by four light years, but we can still recharge and jump again. All fighters report that they have docked with the Mothership and nearby carriers as well as battlecruisers. We are ready to jump."

"What about the infected station? Did you find out anything about it?"

"I have attempted to scan it, but the new virus seems capable of blocking sensor scans. All viral activity has gone dormant now, perhaps this is due to the loss of the tradeships and the Keeper."

"I guess we shouldn't take any risks with the station for now. Launch a probe to monitor the station, then we can jump."

"Probe launched, hyperdrives synchronised with the rest of the fleet. Initiating Synchronised Hyperspace Jump!"

The _Legacy of Kharak_ and her fleet entered hyperspace, while the probe that remained stared at the infected station with its electronic eyes from a distance.


	8. Surprise

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 7: SURPRISE**

_Long ago, you returned from Exile._

_But now, fate will not be so kind._

_Your enemies thirst for victory._

_Your struggles have only just begun._

_- Bentusi Prophecy

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Exile_, the Great Beyond:**

Kiir Sjet awoke with a start. Klaxons were blaring throughout the ship, and he could hear frenzied footsteps in the corridor outside his room.

What was going on? Had they been discovered by the Bentusi fleet at last?

Kiir wasted no time in getting to the bridge. No sooner had he stepped in was he greeted by sheer chaos. Officers were dashing around giving panicky sensor reports, while coordinators were updating Commander Hyll on the status of their ships. Kiir looked to Hyll for enlightenment, but found none. One glance at a console screen told him everything. Several hyperspace signatures had been picked up a few kilometres from their position, and they were clearly Bentusi ships!

Interceptors were already sweeping in to confront the enemy vessels, backed up by several squadrons of pulsar gunships. In the rear, a dozen ion frigates moved into formation to provide heavy firepower support for the strike craft. Any remaining flak and torpedo frigates stayed back to defend the _Exile_. As the ships advanced on the Bentusi fleet, Commander Hyll knew that this act of defiance would be in vain.

"All ships, let's show them that we Hiigarans don't go down without a fight!" he yelled with all his might. The bridge and the rest of the fleet cheered in response.

It was then that the interceptors got within visual range of the Bentusi vessels. The pilots stared in amazement, then screamed at the rest of the fleet to abort the attack. Almost instantaneously, the rest of the strike craft armada broke off and swerved away from their targets. Commander Hyll thought that he was witnessing an act of cowardice, and screamed at the pilots to explain themselves. It was then that a deep familiar voice boomed across all their comm frequencies.

_"Hiigaran vessels, cease your hostilities. The nebula deceives your sensors."_

"… What's going on?" Commander Hyll didn't know what to make of this.

_"We are the Bentusi that fled from your Galaxy not so long ago."_

"You mean… you're on our side? But how did you manage to find us here?"

_"All that moves is easily heard in the Void. From your pre-emptive strike, we gather that you have encountered our lost kindred."_

"You're referring to the infected Bentusi fleet right? What happened exactly?"

_"The story is a long one, but we shall try our best to explain it to you."_

Everyone onboard the _Exile_ stared in wonder as the Bentusi ships approached and faded into view. Seven great tradeships escorted by an armada of Super Acolytes and Bentusi ion frigates, they dwarfed the _Exile_ and her fleet.

* * *

_When the Devourer spread like a plague across the Galaxy, the loss of a tradeship sent waves of panic throughout our entire race. For the first time in countless orbits, we feared._

_The Devourer binds us to our ships in a state that is no less than eternal slavery. Anxious to escape such a fate, many of our kind decided to flee to another galaxy. This was opposed by our Elders onboard the Harbour Ship, and they decided to stay on to continue guiding the Hiigarans._

_With the completion of the jump gate, no fewer than forty tradeships went through to the Other Side. The escape attempt by the remaining vessels, or so we heard, was thwarted by your Somtaaw kiithid. Perhaps that was for the better._

_Our attempts in surveying the new galaxy ended in the discovery of a horror – a surviving band of Progenitors. They were entirely consumed in their quest to obtain the Three Cores. On seeing that we had come from that galaxy, they demanded for us to construct a jump gate with the coordinates pertinent to their conquest. We refused, and faced the consequences._

_The Progenitors attacked us mercilessly. Their capabilities far exceeded ours but still, we defended ourselves. In the chaos, the Progenitors unleashed a techno-organic entity very much like the Devourer we all encountered before. Unfortunately, this new entity was far more lethal than the Devourer. It spread so quickly that many of our tradeships were unable to self-destruct in time._

_In the end, our fleet was decimated either by their firepower or the infection. These seven tradeships escaped only by virtue of the advent of an energy storm phenomenon that disabled the Progenitor inhibitors long enough for us to make a hyperspace escape._

_We estimate that at least twenty tradeships fell to the infection. We have since been on the run, hiding in places provided naturally by the Void, like this very nebula you are in.

* * *

_

Commander Hyll and Kiir Sjet listened with great interest, as well as the rest of the fleet. The Bentusi had certainly gone through terrible things.

_"Now our story is done. May we enquire as to why you came to this place?"_

"Well… it all started with an exploration mission of the _Eye of Aaraan_…" started Hyll.

_"The _Eye of Aaraan_! Do you mean to say that you have opened the _Eye?"

"Erm, yes. Karan Sjet opened it when she united the Three Cores to defeat the Vaygr."

_"This is madness! Do you know that by doing so, you have effectively shown the Progenitors the way to the galaxy!"_

"How? What do you mean?"

_"Activating the _Eye _using the power of the Three Cores will not go unnoticed. In fact, this will explain the massive quantum waveform disturbance we picked up about one year ago. We were ignorant of the significance of the phenomenon at the time, but it is for certain that the Progenitors will home in on that gate and use it as a jump point to reach your galaxy!"_

"But then, the Gate can't be opened without prior clearance from the central _Eye of Aaraan_! Only Karan has the power to open gates in the network!"

_"You are most unclever for bound persona. Has it not occurred to you that the Progenitors were the ones who built the gate network? Would they not therefore have the means to open their own creation if given the chance!"_

Hyll went silent at the startling facts he was receiving from the ancient race. Then he suddenly recalled Gate 112A – it had closed for no apparent reason and then infected Bentusi had just hypered in on top of them. Surely the Progenitors hadn't launched their assault so quickly? What would happen to the Galaxy, and most importantly, Hiigara?

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, outskirts of Tanis ruins:**

Karan Sjet opened her eyes in agony. Her thoughts were bleeding and her mind was in tatters. She was being bombarded by data from every angle, and each packet of information tore at her like a pneumatic drill. She could vaguely see the shapes and shadows of the emergency medic team that was pumping her full of fluids and drugs to stabilise her condition.

Despite all the pain, she sensed something different about the _Sajuuk_. With the last bits of whatever mental strength she could muster, she focused to see what the problem was. To her shock, the Trinity had shattered, and the Three were no longer acting as one. Now _Sajuuk_ was just a derelict ship drifting helplessly in space.

Karan tried to stabilise the Three Cores and force them together like she did before. However, the strain was too great and unconsciousness gripped her once again.

* * *

**Onboard the _Paaura_, outskirts of Tanis ruins:**

General Qwaar was thankful that their hyperspace jump had gone uninterrupted. Now the Somtaaw fleet was racing at full speed towards the crippled Progenitor ship.

"Attention _Sajuuk_! This is General Qwaar of the Somtaaw Command Ship _Paaura_! We picked up your hyperspace signature and are proceeding to your coordinates! Do you require any assistance?"

_"Paaura_? Thank goodness Tanis Base picked us up! Karan's drifting in and out of consciousness right now, we've lost Trinity stability and all systems control!"

"We'll send over a repair team ASAP and cover you while Karan recovers. What happened to her?"

"We're still a bit fuzzy on the details, but it seems like she had a powerful psychic encounter with something while in hyperspace transit. We're sitting ducks out here without her conscious control, so your fleet's coverage is greatly appreciated!"

"Don't worry, we'll protect the Sajuuk-Khar with our lives!"

Alas, _Sajuuk_'s abrupt hyperspace exit had not gone unnoticed. The _Paaura_'s sensors began picking up hyperspace signatures all around the legendary ship.

"General! Turanic Raider and Imperialist ships coming out of hyperspace around the _Sajuuk_!"

"Those pirate scum are fast… What are we looking at here?"

"It's substantial – Twenty ion array frigates backed up by three Lord attack carriers. We're also detecting two Imperialist battlecruisers and five heavy destroyers!"

The Imperialist heavy destroyer was the exact same ship that the _Legacy of Kharak_ had encountered in the Coruc-Tel System. Another new ship design by joint Imperial and Raider researchers, this ship was equipped with four heavy mass drivers and its entire chassis was wrapped around a small energy burst cannon. Regrettably, General Qwaar had yet to receive any information on the power of the energy burst cannons.

As the Somtaaw fleet launched its squadrons of old generation acolytes to provide fighter cover for its twenty Dervish II multibeam frigates and six Gospel-class heavy dreadnoughts, the two Imperialist battlecruisers turned to face the advancing fleet, charging their energy burst cannons. Meanwhile, the ion array frigates proceeded to surround the _Sajuuk_ while the Rogue-class boarding corvettes moved to dock with the ship.

It was then that the two battlecruisers fired their energy burst cannons, raining their destructive energy beams across the Somtaaw fleet. Many of the Dervishes managed to evade the beams, and many didn't. General Qwaar watched in horror as hundreds of his kiithid perished when seven frigates were torn apart by the beams. The second salvo came when the five heavy destroyers let loose their lesser versions of the energy burst cannons, this time targeting the _Paaura_ and the heavy dreadnoughts. The command ship shuddered under the impacts and Qwaar held onto a computer console for support.

"Damage report!"

"Moderate outer hull damage to Hangar Module and outer hull breaches across several decks. Thankfully there's been no inner hull damage thus far. Repair crews are working on them now."

"Update me on fleet status and _Sajuuk_!"

"We've lost seven multibeam frigates, two of the remaining frigates are critically damaged and returning to dock. We have fifty-three acolytes left of our initial seventy, and the heavy dreads report minor to moderate damage. _Sajuuk_ is not looking good – the Raiders are going to board them!"

"All Dervishes, switch to focused ion mode and target the destroyers, use full evasive manoeuvres! All Gospels, focus fire on the battlecruisers – take them out ASAP! All fighters, primary targets are the boarding corvettes and any other strike craft! Helm, take us full speed ahead to the carriers and ion arrays, we'll blast them with our point defence systems!"

With that, the Somtaaw fleet leapt into the thick of battle. The Dervish IIs were a marked improvement over their predecessors. They not only had slightly improved ion beams firing from all five turrets, they also had the ability to focus energy into a single turret, allowing for a strong ion beam comparable to a standard ion frigate's to be fired at the desired target from any one turret. This let the frigates dodge the mass drivers of the heavy destroyers while maintaining optimal fire on them.

The heavy dreadnoughts screamed into battle, blasting the battlecruisers with their twin dual heavy ion cannons and missile launchers. They were in turn raked by the crimson ion beams of the battlecruisers as the Imperialists fired back. The acolytes were already engaged in dogfights with the Raider interceptors and corvettes, trying their best to eliminate the boarding corvettes that were swarming the _Sajuuk_.

Onboard the _Sajuuk_, hand to hand battles had erupted. A few corvettes had managed to drill through and plant their crack teams in the ship. Now the crews of the _Sajuuk_ fought to prevent the Raiders from taking over the ship and reaching the Sajuuk-Khar's computerised cubicle.

As the _Paaura_ came within firing range of the carriers and ion array frigates, it received the full brunt of the ships' ion beam attacks, suffering gashes across its Hangar module and frontal sections. General Qwaar yelled an order and the command ship's heavy pulse cannons came online, blasting back at the Raiders with pulses of contained energy and plasma. Qwaar would have used the Siege Cannon in normal circumstances, but he doubted if the _Sajuuk_ and his fleet could withstand a firing at such close range.

As a battlecruiser erupted in a flash of light, Qwaar cheered along with the rest of the bridge. But their euphoria was not to last. The _Paaura_ began to pick up even more hyperspace signatures. Another Turanic Raider fleet was coming out of hyperspace to surround them!

"This could be very bad…" Qwaar muttered.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_:**

Karan regained consciousness again, becoming aware of the battles around and onboard her ship. She was still in great mental pain, but she knew that something had to be done to assist the fleet of the Somtaaw. Karan sensed the approaching presence of Yuno, but was dismayed that their fleet would fall short by a few light years. She focused again, trying to obtain the power of at least one Core… and did it! With that, Karan fainted once more.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, hyperspace transit:**

"Emergency alert! Hyperdrive malfunction! The quantum waveform is overloading!"

"Crap, Yuno what happened!"

"Cause unknown. We received a massive surge in quantum waveform energy moments ago from an external source. I am attempting safety interrupt, but we're jumping on that external source's power now. Our hyper speed has also increased significantly!"

"Any changes to our destination?" Eefrit was worried by this unexpected development.

"Yes, it seems we have been redirected on a course for the outskirts of the Tanis ruins… Alert! We are exiting hyperspace, repeat, we are exiting hyperspace!"

"Admiral Eefrit to all ships, stand by for emergency hyperspace exit! Full alert!"

Then it suddenly dawned on Eefrit what was going on. He quickly relayed a new set of orders to the fleet.

"People, I think Karan just gave us a hyper jump on steroids. All ships, stand by to protect the _Sajuuk_!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Paaura_, outskirts of Tanis ruins:**

"Sir! You're not going to believe this, but another fleet is coming out of hyperspace right below us!"

"Dammit, we're being overwhelmed! Helm, get a message to Engineering to activate hyperspace module. All ships, run Sync Jump Algorithms now to jump the _Sajuuk_ out of danger! We may perish, but Karan must be protected at all costs!"

"That won't be necessary, Qwaar."

"This voice… Eefrit!"

General Qwaar looked at the viewscreens and watched in relief as the Mothership_ Legacy of Kharak_ exited hyperspace along with her fleet.

"Looks like we arrived just in time. Sending everything we've got to cover your fleet and _Sajuuk_!"

"Many thanks, Eefrit! How did you get to us?"

"Honestly, we couldn't have gotten here had Karan not given a little "divine intervention" with a Core's jump power. All ships, engage and destroy all hostiles!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Kadesh nebula:**

Their plan had worked. Hypering into the nebula had covered their tracks, as their long range sensors indicated. The red dots had exited hyperspace at the coordinates they had just fled from, and hyperspaced to another location instead.

Engineers raced against time to complete repairs to the _Gatekeeper_ while sensor crews struggled to recalibrate the sensors to suit the environment of the Kadesh nebula. A century ago, the Mothership's sensors had gone haywire in such a rich and energetic region. Now, they were still facing the same problems.

It had been peaceful for a few hours now, with no mad "Protector of the Garden" rushing out to declare them "defilers". Captain Soban was relieved as this meant that he and his crews could finally get a much-needed rest after all those hectic battles and encounters.

And so, the Dreadnaught drifted on silently through the beautiful expanse of the nebula.

* * *

**Onboard the Progenitor World Crusher _Oblivion_, the Great Beyond:**

The room was dark as hell, and robed figures moved around silently in the shadows. Various holograph projectors displayed the status of their invasion fleet. Having passed through Gate 112A successfully, the recon fleets were now scattering throughout the target galaxy, scanning for the location of _Sajuuk_. Already, stunning victory had been achieved at the exit point of the gate, with no casualties. The only disturbance was the defeat of the recon squadron dispatched to the Coruc-Tel System.

At this point, the shadows were pierced by rays of light as a grand door swung open, revealing the leader of the mighty force. The other Progenitor crews bowed down in a mark of respect. He walked slowly down to his computer console, his black robes trailing behind him. He sat down slowly, and looked at the projector screens with cold eyes.

"I trust the invasion is going well."

"Yes, your Greatness. Our psychics report that they have successfully made contact with the _Sajuuk_."

"The _Sajuuk_? Operational? Interesting… What of the controller of the _Sajuuk_?"

"Her name is Karan Sjet. She managed to evade the full force of their telepathic assault, but we believe the mental effort would have crippled her."

"Astounding, for a mysterious woman like her to evade the best psychics in our fleet. She would be a marvellous Unbound pilot to us, but alas, she must be removed. Has the exit point been secured?"

"Why of course. We can advance the main fleet to the galaxy at any time you desire."

"Very well then. Give the order for the main fleet to push on to the so-called Realm of _Sajuuk_. We shall show those pitiful races the true power of this… World Crusher."

The Progenitor fleet leapt to hyperspace, the last to jump being the colossal World Crusher ship. Thrice the size of the Karos Foundry Ship, it was wrapped around a massive cannon with the power to extinguish stars and shatter planets.

This was the feared Quantum Pulse Cannon, and it was this very cannon that sent the Progenitor homeworld to dust.

The leader caught a glimpse of Karan's homeworld, Hiigara, on his holographic display. He regarded it with interest, then burst into laughter as his ship completed the entry into hyperspace.


	9. Intensify

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 8: INTENSIFY**

_Created in the most desperate moments of the Rebels' struggle to overthrow the Elders, the World Crusher is the perfect example of using technology for evil. When it was first unveiled in high orbit over the Progenitor homeworld, the Elders watched in horror as the atrocity unleashed a cataclysm, snuffing out an entire world in seconds._

_The Progenitors themselves had never thought of hyperspace being used as a weapon. It was only from the experiments in the quest for Infinite Range that the rebel elements realised the true power of quantum wave energy. The destruction of an entire sector by a failed Core test led the Rebels to undertake research into focusing the destructive power of quantum wave disruption for their own means._

_With the Quantum Pulse Cannon at their disposal, the Elders' forces suffered terribly in the battles to come. Entire fleets were wiped out in a single blast by the World Crusher's cannon. It was only at the Battle of Karos that the Elders hit upon a countermeasure – the power of the Three._

_Sure enough, the Rebels turned up at Karos with their trump card. Convinced that the Three were within their grasp, they fired the cannon on the Elders' flagship. What they didn't expect was the _Sajuuk_ using her advanced quantum waveform manipulation to deflect the blast back to the Rebel fleet. While the World Crusher escaped destruction, much of the Rebel fleet did not._

_The World Crusher's repairs were never truly completed, as the damage wrought by the reflected shockwave proved too extensive. Though now a shadow of its former self, there is not a doubt that the Quantum Pulse Cannon remains a formidable threat to the Galaxy's civilisations.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Kadesh nebula:**

Captain Soban returned to the bridge, refreshed after a good few hours' sleep. Things were looking good for them now – short range communications had been restored and the hyperspace module had been successfully repaired. The Dreadnaught was now almost as good as new, save for her long range communications and some structural stress damage.

The sensors were still getting scrambled by the nebula, and the calibration crews were utterly exhausted. Every attempt at eliminating interference had failed despite using sensor algorithms from the Mothership's epic homecoming voyage. Soban went up to the sensor crews and told them to take a break. Perhaps they were in a more energetic region of the nebula, he reasoned.

With that, Captain Soban took over the job of overseeing the sensors while the crews took a much-needed rest. The sensors managed was a mess – "enemy ships" and hyperspace signatures were popping up everywhere and disappearing as quickly as they came. Soban knew that normal checking by mortal eyes would be impossible, so he set the computers to check for consistent signals instead while he attended to other matters.

"Engineering, how long do you need before we can get long range communications up again?"

"Sorry cap, the damage is much worse than initially expected. We'd say not anytime within the hundred hours in the worst case scenario."

"Never mind then. Take your time, I'm sure you all need rest. Soban out."

The captain sat down in his chair to admire the Kadesh nebula. There were few sights in the Galaxy that could compare with the awesome and mysterious beauty of the place. As he looked at the crimson-yellow tendrils of gas drifting around the Dreadnaught, he recalled his days back on his trusty marine frigate_ Fortune_.

His most memorable days with his trusty frigate were definitely during the Vaygr Wars. He recalled assisting the _Pride of Hiigara_ with his very own frigate squadron before jumping off to some of the most dangerous regions a Hiigaran could venture into. Boarding Vaygr command stations by stealth then sneaking out before their set bombs detonated was difficult, but well worth the risk. Soban remembered moving his ship up close to Makaan's flagship in an assassination attempt, but it had gone awry and ended in the deaths of his comrades aboard the other escorting frigates.

The worst moments were those spent in _Thaddis Sabbah_. Eager to squeeze valuable intelligence out of him, they had sent him through the worst physical and psychological trauma he had ever experienced. He remained alive only by virtue of his excellent fitness, though even now his right arm still trembles occasionally from the residual effects of electrical torture.

A loud beeping noise from the sensors console brought him back to reality. The computer had picked up a consistent ship signal that was slowly but steadily approaching them. Soban reconfigured the sensors quickly for a focused scan of the target, but there was too much interference. He went to the intercom and reluctantly called the exhausted sensor crews back to man their stations.

Minutes later, all the officers were at their posts doing their jobs, the sensor crews not showing the slightest hint of fatigue. Soban admired their endurance.

"So, what could that thing be?"

"We still can't get anything on the target due to interference, but it should be coming into visual range anytime now…"

The bridge stared expectantly at the viewscreens, which were still displaying the cloudy and misty nebula gases. Slowly, a silhouette of a large mothership-class vessel came into view. There was no doubt about it. It was a Kadeshi Needleship! Captain Soban opened his mouth to give the order to attack, but he stopped it in his throat when he saw the ambassador swarmer approaching the _Gatekeeper_ slowly.

"This is the Garden of Kadesh. We, the Protectors of Kadesh, welcome you."

"Huh?" Captain Soban didn't know what to make of this.

"Kadesh, the Great Maker, you have returned as mentioned in the prophecies and texts. We, as your servants, are now at your service."

Soban still didn't get it, but he thought it best not to respond to their hails. Instead, he gave a quiet signal for the Dreadnaught to approach the Needleship at cruise speed. Swarmers had now launched from the massive vessel as they moved into formation to guide the _Gatekeeper_ to a docking pad under the Needleship. As soon as the Dreadnaught was secured to the Needleship, they entered hyperspace.

Where could they be taking us, Soban wondered. Why do the Kadeshi regard us with such warmth?

The jump was a short one, and soon they were back in normal space. The sight before them would have sent any Kadeshi-fearing Hiigaran into hysteria. Twenty Needleships were arranged in two rows to present a path to a massive structure at the end. As their Needleship moved slowly down the path, clouds of advanced swarmers and standard swarmers flitted back and forth, patrolling the pathway and guarding the fleet.

When the structure came into full view, the crew of the _Gatekeeper_ stared in awe. A tremendous sphere whose diameter was twice the height of the _Legacy of Kharak_ beckoned before them. Squinting his eyes, Captain Soban could see tremendous activity going on below its skin. This was probably something along the lines of a Kadeshi city.

The place was heavily guarded by advanced swarmers and the dreaded Kadeshi multibeam frigates. Even today, Hiigaran scientists could not figure out how the Kadeshi managed to squeeze four full power ion cannons into a single frigate chassis, and power it all to create a killing design.

It was then that Soban noticed something derelict above the Sphere City – the ruined chassis of a Progenitor Keeper. Everything fell into place now. The Kadeshi had probably found the Keeper and reverse-engineered its technologies, allowing them to build their powerful hyperspace inhibitor fields. Perhaps this Keeper also revealed to them the secrets of their multibeam frigate design. This would also explain why the Kadeshi were treating them like a God, since the Dreadnaught was definitely an easily-recognisable Progenitor ship design.

The Needleship came to a stop and its docking pad released the _Gatekeeper_. Soban wondered what would happen next.

"We now humbly ask for Kadesh to reveal to us the Divine Path."

"Divine Path! What do we do now?" Soban looked to the rest of his crew for advice. Everyone shrugged their shoulders.

"The prophecy states that Kadesh's arrival heralds the start of our journey along the Divine Path. Please open the Divine Path and enlighten us all."

The _Gatekeeper_ remained silent, and so did the Kadeshi. After what seemed to be millennia of waiting, the Kadeshi broke the silence.

"… You are not Kadesh! How dare you defile this holy place by passing off as our God! You will now face the consequences!"

"Not again…" Captain Soban bowed his head down in despair. "Everyone, battlestations! Stand by for emergency hyperspace jump before they get their fields up…"

"All the Needleships have powered up their inhibitors, I'm afraid. Furthermore, a stronger field is being emitted from the Sphere City. We can only jump if we destroy all of them, or…"

The _Gatekeeper_ lurched violently as the Kadeshi started firing on them. The energy shields sprang up almost immediately, sparing the hull from more damage.

"That was a hard hit. Anything serious?"

"This is Engineering, armor was barely scratched. The shields are holding, but since everything's firing on us we've only got ten minutes to consider our options."

"Is there any way for us to activate the Grand Core?"

"As things stand now, we still haven't traced the system that activated it back in Coruc-Tel."

"We'll have to do it the way we did it last time then. Helm, set course for the nearest Hiigaran outpost and engage hyperdrives!"

Nothing happened, only this time the Grand Core didn't power up to whisk the Dreadnaught to safety. The Kadeshi ships continued to pour their ion beams into the _Gatekeeper_'s shields.

"Kharak forgive us. This is Captain Soban of the Hiigaran Dreadnaught _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ to all Kadeshi ships in range. We mean you no conflict. Please allow us to withdraw, or we will be forced to defend ourselves!"

"There is no withdrawal from the Garden."

"Alright, we warned them and they paid no heed. Weapons control, charge the Phased Cannon Array! Take out one of their Needleships!"

"Phased Cannon Array charging now!"

The Dreadnaught turned around slowly to face an attacking Needleship. Like the other Kadeshi ships, it was firing on the _Gatekeeper_ mercilessly, which was now shining like a bright star in the nebula from all the explosions and ionic assaults. Then the star shone more brightly and dazzled as the Phased Cannon Array discharged. The beam of pure energy slammed into the front of the Needleship, tearing its frontal disc in half and ripping the needle structure behind to shreds.

"One Needleship down, Captain!"

"Good, we keep taking them down one by one until they surrender or we perish!"

Now the _Gatekeeper_ began turning to target another Needleship while blasting nearby frigates to pieces with its plasma turret and nanite cannons. Still the Kadeshi kept coming, defiant despite the losses they were taking. Another Needleship fell victim to the Dreadnaught's sword of light, exploding and taking nearby frigates and swarmers with it.

"Captain, we've got another five more minutes of shield power remaining! Once they go down, even with the armor on our ship we'll be hard-pressed to stay alive for more than a minute!"

"Looks like we're left with no choice. Target the city with the Phased Cannon Array! It pains me to kill so many Kadeshi, but they're beyond reason now!"

The Dreadnaught moved to face the Sphere City. Soban could see the activity in the City now – people fleeing in panic before the Dreadnaught's charging cannon. The _Gatekeeper_ fired, impaling the massive space structure with the powerful energy assault. The Sphere caved in on that point and exploded on the other end as the beam pierced all the way through its superstructure. Now the surface of the Sphere began to vibrate as shockwaves rushed through it. A chain reaction of some sort was coursing through the dying ship. Soban and his crew shut their eyes as they saw people getting vented out to space.

"You… you… MONSTERS! YOU DARE TO COMMIT SUCH AN ATROCITY! SUCH A CRIME CANNOT BE FORGIVEN – PREPARE TO BE DESTROYED!"

"Merciful Hiigara…" Captain Soban broke down in tears as a series of explosions gripped the Sphere City, detonating in a blinding flash of light.

The death of the Sphere City took with it seven more Needleships and a large bulk of the Kadeshi frigates and fighters. The force of the explosion flung the Dreadnaught backwards, causing the _Gatekeeper_ to spin perilously through space, colliding with and destroying any unfortunate Kadeshi ship in its path.

"Captain! The shields are being pushed to their limits here! We've got one more minute!"

"Stabilise the ship! In the meantime, we have to take advantage of our current spin. Fire the cannon again!"

When the _Gatekeeper_ fired again, it now spat its destructive firepower in all directions like a flaming wheel, slicing four more Needleships to pieces and vaporising the last remaining Kadeshi frigates. The surviving eight Needleships now charged towards the spinning Dreadnaught, their ion cannons blazing. At that moment, the Grand Core responded with a divine hum, and the _Gatekeeper_ plunged into hyperspace, leaving the dreadful massacre of the Kadeshi well behind it.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, the Great Beyond:**

The carrier fleet was now a huddled mass of ships in the protected centre of the Bentusi fleet. It didn't take long for the Bentusi to realise how badly outmatched the _Exile_ was, and so they had pledged to protect them with whatever means possible. In exchange, Commander Hyll was transmitting to the Bentusi all known information of the Progenitor ships' weaknesses.

Kiir Sjet was comforted by the sight of two races banding together in this time of need. Yet, he still felt uneasy. The Progenitors were an advanced race, and if the Bentusi could barely stand up to them, what difference did the presence of their pitiful carrier fleet make?

"Commander Hyll, with all due respect sir, I very much doubt if we can withstand an attack by the Progenitors or the infection entity even with our combined forces."

"You're right, Kiir. This alliance is but a brave front. We'll just have to find a way to stay alive as long as possible. Remember, everyone on this ship wants to get home too."

"…Yes, but the odds of that are…"

"Very small. To tell the truth, Kiir, I don't think we're going to make it out of this whole thing alive. We'll just have to take things as they come now. No loved ones on Hiigara, I hope?"

"No, my parents died when I was a child."

"Good for you. I've got a family back there on Hiigara. A wife, three children, that doesn't include my kiith's blood relations…"

"That's enough, Hyll. I know how you feel."

Suddenly, a brainwave hit Kiir. He quickly excused himself and dashed back to his quarters, locking the door and sitting down at the table again. He took out his papers and began scribbling again. If this works, he thought, then maybe they might stand a ghost of a chance against the Progenitors' viral weapon.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, outskirts of Tanis ruins:**

"All hostile vessels have been eliminated. _Sajuuk_ is safe. Victory is ours!" Yuno exclaimed in reief.

"Thank goodness. What's the status on the _Sajuuk_?" Eefrit enquired.

"It appears that they have successfully repelled all Raider boarders. Karan's now on the road to recovery."

"That's good to hear. Qwaar, you alright there?"

"We're fine here. Somtaaw don't go down that easily my friend."

"Yeah. I trust you can handle the _Sajuuk_ now? Or do we need to cover you a little longer?"

"Continued coverage would be good, since we're in the midst of rebuilding and repairs."

"… Sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Huh? What's wrong, Yuno?"

"I just received an emergency transmission from the Shipyard Naabal. The Turanic Raiders have proven quick to take advantage of the _Sajuuk_'s status – Their main fleet just hyperspaced into the Sarum System!"

"Sarum! That means they're only several light years away from Hiigara!"

"You must go then. Hiigara's safety is of utmost priority, let us Somtaaw take care of things here." Qwaar replied urgently.

"Then we'll leave immediately. Yuno, inform all dispatched carrier fleets of the other kiithid to abort missions and return to Hiigara. Meanwhile, we should plot a course to Sarum to stop the Raiders while we still can!"

"Have you no idea what we're facing, Eefrit? That strike force outnumbers this fleet at least seven to one! This is not a battle we can fight alone!"

"Then what do we do? Wait till the Raiders reach Hiigaran orbit? It'll be too late by then!"

"… Very well then. All power shunted to hyperspace module, coordinates for Sarum locked in!"

Shimmering blue windows opened before the _Legacy of Kharak_ and her fleet. Suddenly, the windows flickered and died silently.

"Hyperspace jump failed! Sensors are picking up a massive Keeper inhibitor field… Alert! I am picking up multiple hyperspace signatures, confirming targets…"

Eefrit paid no heed to what Yuno said thereafter since his eyes were now transfixed on the viewscreens, as did the rest of the fleet. Even General Qwaar watched in stunned silence. A substantial fleet of Bentusi and Progenitor ships had just emerged from hyperspace to surround them. Again, a loud voice began to boom across their comm frequencies.

_"… Hiigarans, we thank you for your efforts in locating the Three Cores and reactivating Sajuuk. Now, we have come to claim both the ship and the Three Cores for our Divine Leader. If you will turn them over to us immediately, your fleets will be spared."_

"NEVER!" Karan had just regained consciousness once more, and the sight of the Progenitors had somehow galvanised her back into action, and the Trinity was restored by her sheer willpower. She had led her people across the Galaxy to find their Homeworld, Hiigara. She had led her people through the dark times of the Vaygr Wars, uniting the Three Cores and ensuring Hiigara's safety with the _Sajuuk_. She wasn't going to let some ancient race come and destroy everything they had struggled for!

"Attention all Hiigaran ships in range! This is Karan Sjet, and I say that we cannot surrender this ship and the Cores to the Progenitors! We have fought so hard to restore galactic peace with these artefacts, and we can't afford to let that peace go now!" Karan spoke loudly to the Hiigaran fleets.

"Karan! This is Yuno! You have yet to recover from your encounter, if you pilot the _Sajuuk_ now…"

"I know, and I thank you for your concern, Yuno Manaan. However, I think I am still able to at least put up a front against these enemies of Hiigara."

_"A brave attempt, Hiigaran. Unfortunately, you must still be suffering from that last encounter. **Does it not agonise you, Karan Sjet?"**_

Karan reeled from the mental assault, her mind screaming in agony. However, she pulled herself together and focused on blocking all transmissions from the Progenitor fleet. She concentrated on the matter at hand – Keeping the Three Cores safe from the Progenitors.

"… I am perfectly alright. All ships, open fire!"

With that, the combined fleets of the _Paaura_ and _Legacy of Kharak_ began firing on the surrounding Progenitor and Bentusi ships. There was a lot to shoot down – seven Keepers, four Progenitor cruisers, six tradeships and many Super Acolytes and Drones. Yuno immediately began her task of locking on to the nearest cruiser and scanning it for vulnerabilities to exploit. General Qwaar yelled an order and his command ship turned to face an infected tradeship that was scorching the _Paaura_ relentlessly with its ion cannons.

"Fire in the hole!"

The _Paaura_'s Siege Cannon discharged its globe of plasma at the offending Bentusi ship. The blast crippled the tradeship and dispatched many Super Acolytes and Drones with its lethal shockwave. Now the Somtaaw Acolytes and the Mothership's Acolyte IIs swung into action to support the pulsar gunship squadrons, intercepting the incoming Progenitor and Bentusi strike craft. Screams of agony sliced through the fleet as a Keeper's infection beam grasped a fighter squadron, which scuttled immediately to save themselves from a terrible fate.

By now, the _Sajuuk_ had been brought to bear against a Progenitor cruiser that was being kept busy by two battlecruisers. The grand cannon of the ship fired, bathing the battlefield in yellow light as the cruiser and a tradeship behind it were annihilated by the blast. Now a Keeper approached the _Sajuuk_ from the rear and fired its infection beam. Karan sensed the danger and powered up the ship's energy shields almost instantly, and the shot was absorbed harmlessly. The nanite cannons took over, decimating the Keeper in a matter of moments.

The Progenitors seemed to sense the trouble they were facing, and ordered a change of tactics. Now all their remaining six Keepers powered up the energy shields and charged into the heart of the Hiigaran Fleet in a bid to infect the _Legacy_ and _Paaura_.

"Oh no! Yuno, full evasive manoeuvres! The Keepers are moving in to fire on us!"

"Shunting power to drives… energy spike detected, a Keeper is firing the infection beam! Stand by for Naar Directive…"

The crimson beam leapt through the vacuum of space and looked poised to hit the _Legacy_. Suddenly, it deflected off an invisible barrier and went harmlessly off in a different direction. Eefrit stared in amazement, and Karan's voice kicked in.

"Close one. I managed to put up a quantum wave disruption in time to stop that beam."

"Thanks for the help, Karan. I don't know what I would have done if…"

"Yeah. Alright, all ships concentrate fire on the Keepers! Do not let them near the _Paaura_!"

"Too late, Hangar Module's been hit! We're jettisoning the module now, all ships stay clear!"

As Qwaar finished his sentence, the _Paaura_ dropped its infected Hangar Module and brought all its pulse cannons to bear on the now-crimson structure. The module exploded and the screams of the crew onboard were cut off suddenly. Qwaar was relieved that they did not need to suffer the twisted immortality of the virus.

"We're pulling back from the main battle, Hangar Module's loss hit us badly."

"Roger that! Eefrit to all fighters, cover the _Paaura_'s retreat!"

* * *

**Onboard an Acolyte II fighter:**

Luca weaved his fighter in and out of the chaotic battle. He had lost half his squadron to an infection beam that narrowly missed his ship. He was breathing heavily now, as the Keepers intensified their infection assaults. Red beams were now zipping back and forth in the centre of the battle, catching many Hiigaran fighters and frigates that chose destruction over assimilation.

Suddenly, he spotted the looming crimson of an infection beam from the corner of his eye. He yelled a battle cry and activated his repulsor. The force knocked a nearby Super Acolyte into the path of the beam, scattering its dangerous effects from his comrades. Unfortunately, part of the energy grazed his ship, causing biohazard warnings to wail loudly. Luca growled and ejected the infected right pulse cannon. His fighter had had enough, and he steered it in to dock with the nearest carrier.

A Keeper watched Luca's Acolyte II with interest. Seconds later, it reconfigured its infection beam and fired again.

This time, he took a direct hit from the beam. Alarms wailed as the ship's logic systems got subverted. Luca swore and ejected the cockpit from the doomed fighter. As the infected chassis spiralled away below him, the cockpit's manoeuvring thrusters took hold and brought him into the safety of the carrier.

The little pod screeched to a halt onto the metallic floor of the carrier's docking bays, and repair crews rushed forth to extinguish the flames. Luca leapt out of the cockpit, coughing and sliding down its side. As he did so, his left leg brushed against a blackened and wet portion of the cockpit's outer hull. His pants smeared black, Luca swore again and wiped it off with some tissues. Eager to get back into the fray, he ran towards another fighter waiting in the bay. Suddenly, the world around him began to spin.

"Oh great…" he muttered before blacking out on the docking bay floors.

* * *

**Onboard the Keeper _Nova_:**

The robed commander watched the battle with displeasure. His fleet was surely losing, but that would not matter much to him. They were, after all, a recon fleet. All they had to do was inflict as many casualties on the Hiigarans as possible, softening them up for the climactic battle in future.

An officer strode up to him and gave him a brief report – the experimental test had been successfully executed. The commander nodded, and signalled for the fleet to retreat to hyperspace.

* * *

The remaining Progenitor and Bentusi ships warped back into hyperspace, and the victors cheered. The cheering did not last long, as Yuno was already hustling all strike craft to get docked for the emergency jump to Sarum. Karan opted to stay behind, fully aware that she had definitely over exerted herself when she was not supposed to. A throbbing headache now gripped her across the temples.

As the _Legacy_ and her fleet initiated the jump to Sarum, the _Sajuuk_ stayed alongside the _Paaura_ and the Somtaaw fleet. Karan whispered a silent prayer for Hiigara's safety, then plunged into a deep rest.


	10. Miscalculated Move

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 9: MISCALCULATED MOVE**

_Hiigara is a blue-green planet that orbits the Galactic Core very closely. Being an Inner Rim world, Hiigara and its star system are young in cosmic terms, resulting in both planet and system being relatively rich in resources. Its closeness to the Galactic Core region makes Hiigara a position of strategic importance in the Galaxy. Gravitational anomalies in the Galactic Core region serve as effective hyperspace inhibitors that prevent intrusions from the southwest, while the Sarum Dust Clouds and Coruc-Tel quantum anomalies give Hiigaran fleets the advantage in defending the northern and eastern routes. It is hence no wonder that Hiigara is a world coveted by many in the Galaxy._

_The Sarum System is found in the densest portion of the Sarum Dust Clouds that span several light years in diameter. Being on the outskirts of the old Hiigaran Control Zone as declared After Hiigaran Landfall, it is a mere ten light years of distance from Hiigara. Hiigaran Fleet Command has recognized the strategic importance of Sarum and uses it as a staging area for the Hiigaran Navy. After the Vaygr Wars completely shattered the Hiigaran Defence Fleets, Hiigaran Fleet Command also made it a point to install an inhibitor station in the Sarum System so as to consolidate Hiigara's defence against would-be invaders from the North._

_Extensive analysis of the Dust Clouds' contents have allowed the Hiigaran Navy to recalibrate their sensors to see without interference. The same cannot be said for the Turanic Raiders and Imperialists who have repeatedly tried to invade from the North. Their attempts at sensor calibration failed due to a lack of understanding of the Dust Clouds' contents, which change in random cycles due to the buffeting by interstellar particles from many nearby stars._

_Though slightly outnumbered every time, the Hiigaran Navy has always triumphed by using the interference to their advantage, staging sneak attacks on the Raiders' flanks to weaken them before mounting a full-scale assault to mop up survivors. To quote the Paktu Kiith Sa, "We have learned much from our defeat at Makaan's hands. Sarum will never be breached again."

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Exile_, the Great Beyond (Outskirts of Gate 112A):**

Hyll understood Kiir's new plan. It was an exciting new venture using the hyperspace module, which would give them a chance at getting back home.

Kiir had suggested a modification to the Sync Jump Algorithms currently installed on all hyperspace-capable ships in the fleet. The idea involved creating a localized quantum waveform distortion for attack or defence. He had seen Karan Sjet demonstrating this principle months back during her experimental trials with _Sajuuk_, but such a feat was impossible by the standards of current hyperspace technology.

The Sync Jump Algorithm provided the foundation for this principle to be applied in their current situation. One hyperspace module may not provide the power to create such a distortion, but surely the combined hyperspace power of their entire fleet would be adequate to generate the distortion required, though not one on the scale of _Sajuuk_. The good thing about the distortion was that it could be executed with greater power within inhibitor fields, since such fields themselves operated on the principle of quantum waveform disruption.

The Bentusi had listened to Kiir's theory with interest, and then installed the modified algorithms on their ships with great enthusiasm. The combined fleets of the Bentusi and the _Exile_ had then attempted a synchronized quantum waveform distortion with great success. Spurred by the success, Kiir Sjet then went on to refine the new algorithms for practical application. Now their fleets would be able to generate up to five small localized distortions at any given time to deflect incoming fire or assault the enemy.

Now, they had exited hyperspace on the outskirts of Gate 112A, their only way back home. The infected Bentusi vessels guarding the gate had already detected them and summoned several Keepers and Progenitor frigates to their aid. Hyll studied their fleet positions as well as those of their Bentusi allies. Several adjustments later, their fleets were ready. Hyll opened the broadcast channels and spoke.

"This is Commander Hyll of the _Exile_ to all friendlies. This is most probably our only chance at getting back. If we fail, there will be no second try as we'll be goners. While Kiir's new hyperspace trick will help us greatly, it is vital that we do not depend completely on it. The Progenitors and their viral minions will definitely try to stop us with everything in their power, so let's all show them what we Hiigarans and Bentusi can do as a united force!"

Commander Hyll paused as cheering echoed throughout the fleet. The Bentusi remained silent, but Hyll knew that they too were cheering in secret.

"Alright then, all ships begin assault now!"

With that, the _Exile_'s fusion drives roared to push the carrier forward. Interceptors and Super Acolytes rushed forward to meet the oncoming swarm of Drones and infected Super Acolytes. The Bentusi ion frigates moved in formation with the Hiigaran frigates to provide fire support for their fighter screen while the tradeships moved swiftly to dispatch any capital ship that might get through the strike craft.

The fighters began their combat and explosions lit up the blackness of space as ion beams tore through both enemy and friendly craft. As expected, the Progenitor frigates rushed forward to bring their fast-tracking plasma turrets to bear on the interceptors and Super Acolytes. Immediately, the Hiigaran and Bentusi ion frigates opened fire to slice up the advancing vessels.

The Keepers saw instantly that the battle would not go well for them, so they rushed forward and fired their infection beams into the fighter clouds. Dozens of Super Acolytes and interceptors scuttled themselves to avoid a grisly fate and dozens more swarmed in to unleash vengeance on the Keepers. One Keeper could not phase out quickly enough and crumpled under the immense firepower of the Super Acolytes. The remaining six Keepers split into two equal groups. One group remained behind to support the infected tradeships, Super Acolytes and Drones, while the second group powered up shields and dashed forth to infect the carrier and her escorting tradeships.

Hyll saw the approaching Keepers and yelled at all ships to start synchronizing hyperdrives. Sure enough, the Keepers fired a trio of infection beams that zapped through space to infect the carrier and two of their seven tradeships. In response, distortions in the fabric of space time opened up to deflect the beams away to safer vectors. Their infection attempt foiled, the Keepers began to retreat. The Bentusi opened fire with their ion beams and managed to take out two of the Keepers before they escaped beyond firing range. Commander Hyll was delighted.

"All ships, advance and destroy the defending fleet now! The Bentusi are already trying to hack into the Gate to open a path home, so let us push on!"

Now they started using the distortions for assaults and entire flights of enemy fighters were wiped out as shockwaves of quantum disruption reverberated through them. The Progenitor and infected Bentusi frigates were all gone now and the fleet was now opening fire on the four defiant infected tradeships. The surviving four Keepers were already fleeing, their captains cowering under the might of the united force. As an infected tradeship exploded into a flare of light, a troubling message came in from the Bentusi hackers.

_"There is something wrong. Something stopping us from taking control of the Gate. An ominous presence is approaching…"_

"Huh? What's happening now?"

_"… No! The Progenitors are coming with their main fleet! We will not survive even with your hyperspace invention! We will try to open the gate as quickly as possible…"_

"That's bad. All ships, finish the remaining vessels and head for the gate at maximum burn!"

Now the quantum waveform distortions were directed at another infected tradeship as the fleet struggled to clear the defenders before the main fleet arrived. There was a massive groan as the ship's hull gave way under the stress of the concentrated firepower. With two more tradeships to go, the fleet was gripped by urgency. It was then that Commander Hyll saw a flicker of blue light emanating from the hyperspace gate. The hyperspace portal was opening! Unfortunately, the main Progenitor fleet began to emerge from hyperspace right behind them.

_"Hyll, it is too late. They have arrived. We will hold them off and delay their attack while your fleet jumps through. We have set an exit point at a gate on the outskirts of Gehenna."_

"No! You have to come along too, there's time enough to save everyone here!"

_"We understand your intentions, but believe us. The Progenitors will catch up to all of us with their superior drives in little time."_

"But, you are the last of your race! We can't just flee from here while watching the destruction of our friends!"

_"… Our time had already ended from since the loss of our Harbour Ship. Our time has ended, but the time of you Hiigarans has only just begun. It will be up to you to guide the Galaxy as we once did. Little time remains, please escape through the gate now!"_

Commander Hyll watched as the Bentusi fleet dispatched the remaining infected tradeships and turned to face the massive Progenitor fleet. Their Super Acolytes had already broken off from the interceptors and were rushing to meet the deadly foe.

"… Very well. Fleet, full speed ahead to the gate! On behalf of all of Hiigara, I thank you for your assistance through the ages, from the Time of Exile through the Homecoming, Beast Wars, End Times and this! We will remember you Bentusi as eternal friends of Hiigara, wherever you might be!"

_"And so will we. Farewell."_

Everyone in the Hiigaran fleet began to weep as their ships raced forth towards the beckoning blue light of the hyperspace gate. Already the Progenitor fleet was tearing into the Bentusi ships with sheer numbers and superior firepower. Still, the Bentusi put up a strong resistance against the ancient race.

The _Exile_ was the last ship to enter the hyperspace portal. As the last Bentusi tradeship lit up in a brilliant explosion, Commander Hyll vowed tearfully to avenge the terrible destruction of the Bentusi. The bright flare faded away rapidly into the blueness of hyperspace as the carrier plunged into the portal and began its long journey home.

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, Sarum System:**

Commander Elohim was yelling orders continuously at his fleet. Just an hour ago a huge combined Raider/Imperialist fleet had stalled outside the farthest reach of the Sarum hyperspace inhibitor field. Now the enemy fleet had organized itself and was pushing on towards the position of the defending shipyard fleet.

Elohim Naabal had seen bad times, having defended the shipyard from Vaygr strike fleets before the _Pride of Hiigara_ arrived, then accompanied the _Pride_ to battle against some of the largest Vaygr fleets he had ever seen. Now, they were facing a combined Raider/Imperialist fleet that dwarfed even the _Thaddish Sabbah_ Vaygr forces. Already he had dispatched bombers and several ion frigates to eat away at the flanks of the advancing fleet under the cover of the dust clouds, but any ship losses were mere pinpricks against the might of the enemy fleet.

The sensors officer came back from his post with disturbing news. He had just completed sensor analysis of the Raider/Imperialist attack force, and it didn't look nice. There were at least fifty Lord attack carriers with their full strike craft complements, a few hundred ion array frigates, seventy Imperialist Heavy Destroyers, and thirty Imperialist battlecruisers. It looked like the Raiders and Imperialists were finally throwing everything they had at them.

Elohim's fleet paled in comparison. One inhibitor station, one shipyard, two carriers, three battlecruisers, five destroyers, twenty ion frigates, twenty pulsar gunship squadrons and thirty interceptor squadrons. The comm channel crackled to life as the Raiders began to transmit a message to his fleet.

"Filthy Hiigarans, stand down or be destroyed. You cannot win against this. Surrender your fleet and we may spare your lives."

"This is Commander Elohim of the _Shipyard Naabal_. Burn in the sands of Kharak, you pirate and imperial scum!" Elohim spat back.

"My my, you certainly speak like a true Hiigaran. Very well, though it pains us to wipe out that useful shipyard of yours, it looks like we have no choice but to bring in our friends. Perhaps that will make you reconsider."

At that moment, additional hyperspace signatures began appearing behind the advancing Raider/Imperialist fleet. When the ships had cleared hyperspace, the sensors said it all. Now they also had a large Vaygr fleet to contend with. Apparently the surviving Vaygr had forged an alliance to wipe out their common enemy. Elohim groaned as he counted an additional fourteen Vaygr battlecruisers, then stopped counting when he saw at least thirty escorting destroyers. The rest consisted of a few carriers and loads of frigates and fighters.

At that moment, the communications officer reported that the _Legacy of Kharak_ and her fleet were a minute away from arrival. Elohim didn't find the news comforting at all.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, hyperspace transit:**

"One minute to hyperspace exit at Sarum."

"Excellent. All ships stand by at full alert."

"Eefrit, you understand that even with Commander Elohim's fleet we'll still be greatly outnumbered."

"True, but I've seen worse. I was onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_ when Karan launched the attack on _Thaddis Sabbah_."

"And what was it like?"

"Typical Vaygr numbers – a dozen battlecruisers, lots of destroyers and frigates, and too many fighters. And we won in the end."

"I see. Well, what I'm seeing from my sensors isn't very pleasing…"

"As in?"

"You'll see. We are exiting hyperspace now."

Admiral Eefrit grinned cheekily as the blue surroundings of hyperspace gave way to reveal the Sarum System beyond. His grin vanished quickly when they dropped back to normal space completely and Yuno zoomed in on the advancing fleets.

"Hyperspace jump successful, we have arrived at Sarum. You were saying something about having seen worse?"

Eefrit didn't reply.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, hyperspace transit:**

Captain Soban was still recovering from the emotional trauma of slaughtering so many Kadeshi. He didn't mean to order the attack, but they just didn't have any other choice. He couldn't understand why the Kadeshi remained so unreasonable and fanatical. His recovery was interrupted when a long range transmission came through.

"This is Commander Elohim of the _Shipyard Naabal_ to any Hiigaran ship hearing this. A very large combined Raider, Imperialist and Vaygr fleet has just emerged from hyperspace in the Sarum System. The Mothership fleet has arrived but we won't be able to hold them. Requesting immediate assistance!"

Captain Soban paused in silence when he heard the news, then swung into action immediately.

"Helm, where are we headed on our current jump?"

"I set a course for Tanis Base since it was the closest outpost I could think of."

"Can you try to correct course and head for Sarum instead? The situation there sounds pretty bad, and I'm sure they could use an extra Phased Cannon Array."

"Uploading new coordinates now, everything else is up to Engineering."

"Don't worry, captain! We've managed to isolate the frequency used by the signal transmitted to the Grand Core. Duplicating signal now, if it works we should see…"

The Dreadnaught shuddered slightly, indicating that it was now headed on a new route through hyperspace.

"… Looks like it worked. Good job Engineering! Let's get ready to kick some butt!"

Soban quickly put the Kadeshi matter behind him. He had done it to save the lives of himself and his crew. He had already given the Kadeshi ample warning, and they failed to heed it. Now he would just need to concentrate on protecting Hiigara.

* * *

**Onboard the _Oblivion_, the Great Beyond (Outskirts of Gate 112A)**

The divine leader was solemnly observing the pieces of Bentusi wreckage drifting around his fleet. He was not pleased with the fact that the pesky Unbound race had managed to delay his ships long enough to let the Hiigaran fleet escape through the now-closed gate. To complicate matters more, the Bentusi had left the gate protected by advanced Bentusi encryption. While it would only be a matter of time before their technicians broke the code, valuable time would be wasted in doing so.

He then received a transmission from one of his top commanders hailing from the Keeper _Nova_. He was pleased to hear that though the recon fleet had been decisively defeated, their experimental project had been a success.

He sat down in his seat of power and smiled. No matter what, the Three Cores' power would be his to wield alone in the end.

* * *

**Onboard the Carrier _Cosmos_, Mothership fleet in Sarum:**

Luca regained consciousness wearily, only to find himself in a bunk in the medical centre. He looked around slowly and saw various tubes feeding fluids into his right arm. His head was throbbing as though someone had hit him across the forehead with a very hard object. As he reached to push a button to call a doctor, the doors whirred open and the ship's doctor strolled in. He was pleasantly surprised to see Luca awake.

"You've had a good sleep, I trust?"

"… Where am I?" Luca responded in a tired voice.

"You're in good hands onboard the carrier _Cosmos_. You blacked out not long after you got out of your ejected cockpit."

"What's the matter with me?"

"Nothing serious. We took a series of blood samples and found low blood sugar levels. You've been skipping meals, haven't you?"

Luca nodded sheepishly.

"Well, Saviour or not, you're still a normal person like everyone else. You need food to fight, so no more skipping meals for fighting next time mate."

"I'll bear that in mind."

"We also discovered that your body temperature is a few degrees higher than normal. Yet, you're not running any fever."

"I guess prolonged close range exposure to drive plasma is taking its toll?"

"That's just a myth. We'll be keeping you under observation till we figure out what's causing your anomalous body temperature. Till then, rest well."

"Thanks, doc."

As the doctor left the room to tend to other patients, Luca drifted back to sleep, oblivious to the slight discomfort he was feeling in his left leg.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Sarum System:**

Eefrit watched the battles unfold nervously. The combined strike craft squadrons of the Mothership fleet and the Sarum fleets were now engaging the incoming waves of Raider, Vaygr and Imperialist strike craft. Their pilots may have the edge in experience and tactics, but nothing works well when you're outnumbered at least seven to one.

The inhibitor station had already been evacuated and the _Legacy of Kharak_ was retreating along with the _Shipyard Naabal_. Against such a withering invasion there was no way to mount a standard forward defence, so Eefrit had chosen the strategy of retreating defence to maximize their chances of survival. The good thing was that the invaders didn't bring gravs along with them, so tactical hyperspace jumps would still be possible.

The Hiigaran strike craft tried their best to hold the line, but to no avail. Soon they were forced to pull back as casualties started mounting. Still, wave after wave of enemy fighters and corvettes swarmed in, backed up by frigate firepower. The invasion fleet drew ever more closer to the retreating Mothership and shipyard, whose rear was being covered by their frigates and capital ships.

As a squadron of ion array frigates came within firing range of a battlecruiser, they opened fire on the ship's drives in a bid to disable it. Eefrit immediately ordered the cruiser, the _Solar Sword_, to jump ahead of them. The battlecruiser vanished into hyperspace and emerged a few kilometers in front of the retreating Hiigaran fleets, escaping further drive damage.

Eefrit knew that their time was up. He immediately told Yuno to activate the Mothership's Extended Range Gravwell to halt any enemy hyperspace advances. He then sent a transmission to Commander Elohim. They were to execute a tactical hyperspace jump to put distance between themselves and the approaching fleets. As the last interceptors completed their docking, both Hiigaran fleets jumped forward a few dozen kilometers.

Now that they had bought themselves more time, Eefrit studied the star charts of the nearby regions, hoping to find something that would work to their advantage. Yuno was quick to bring his attention to a nearby area that contained several crystals. This was part of the Crystal Wall set up by the Somtaaw when the defence lines were first established. Dozens of rare crystals had been towed in by the Somtaaw mining fleets to form a fortress in the Sarum System. It was hoped that this defence would never have to be used, but now it looked like they had few other options open to them.

Eefrit gave another order for the fleet to blast through the crystal field at maximum burn, hoping that the dust clouds would hide the "mines" from their attackers. Several minelayer corvettes remained behind to seed the field with mines. If the invaders pursued them into the field, they would activate the mines to destroy the crystals. It was then that klaxons began wailing across the Mothership as Yuno discovered a large Progenitor ship emerging from hyperspace in front of them. Eefrit didn't want to take any chances, so he gave the order for a full fleet assault.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Sarum System:**

No sooner had their ship emerged from hyperspace were they bombarded relentlessly from all directions by torpedoes, mass drivers and ion beams. The _Gatekeeper_ shuddered violently under the assault, her shields straining to prevent the destruction from reaching the outer hull. Captain Soban and his crews were alarmed.

"What's going on? What's attacking us?"

"Sensors indicate the Hiigaran fleets of Commander Elohim and Admiral Eefrit are both firing on us!"

This is Engineering, our shields have yet to recover from the Kadeshi skirmish, estimate shield breach in one minute!

"Open a transmission channel quickly… This is Captain Soban of the Hiigaran Dreadnaught _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_! Hiigaran vessels, cease fire at once! Elohim, Eefrit, what in Kharak are you doing? Repeat, please cease fire immediately!"

The firing stopped and the _Gatekeeper_ groaned as it tried to right itself. The shock of the impacts had thrown her gyros off and the ship was struggling to restore balance. The startled voice of Eefrit crackled to life on the Dreadnaught's comm systems.

"… Soban? Is that really you…? We all thought you were…"

"Who did you think it was, the devil? By the way, I'm NOT dead, though I would be if you didn't stop firing. Just like you to welcome an old friend with a bang." Soban was still rather annoyed by the "warm welcome" they had just received.

"Ah, it was my mistake. No time for explanations now, but the situation is pretty tense and we could use the extra firepower."

"I realized that when your transmission came through. Sounds bad, like back there at _Thaddis Sabbah_."

_"Thaddis Sabbah_ is nothing compared with this. Yuno's voice interrupted as she transmitted all their data on the enemy forces they were facing."

Soban studied the data, then swore an obscenity that had originated from the ancient times of Kharak.

"You want us to go against THAT attack force without _Sajuuk_'s support!"

"The other Kiithid are relocating their carrier fleets to defend Hiigara itself. This is all we have right now, and there's no way we can let them breach Sarum! The crystals'll hold them…"

"Sorry to interrupt," came Elohim's worried voice, "but it looks like the Taiidani are using some sort of missile to ram the crystals!"

Soban turned to the sensors screen immediately. Sure enough, five "ramming missiles" had latched onto a few crystals and were pushing them towards the Hiigaran fleets! Eefrit yelled an order through all fleet frequencies and interceptors scrambled to stop the missiles. Yuno did a quick calculation and realized that it was too late. She retransmitted orders to the fighters and frigates to turn around and move away at full speed.

The missiles detonated when they closed with the Hiigaran fleets, and the crystals responded by shattering. Their chemical energy released from within in the form of lethal shockwaves that reverberated through both the Mothership and shipyard fleets. Several fighter squadrons and frigates didn't manage to get far away enough and fell prey to the shockwave, while other capital ships reeled from the cosmic assault. The _Legacy of Kharak_ shuddered as the shockwave echoed through her decks, and so did the _Shipyard Naabal_. The Dreadnaught felt only a whisper as they were well beyond the range of the shockwaves.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

"Damage report!"

"Moderate outer hull damage across five decks, outer hull breach and minor inner hull damage in section 32C. Repairs are underway. Battlecruisers _Super Strike_ and _Omniscient_ report moderate damage to subsystems and armor, while the _Solar Sword_ has lost all drive power. Our carriers are still alright and frigate damage is considerable. Our remaining destroyers and half of our frigates are crippled beyond any form of fighting. Luckily, our strike craft mostly made it out alive and are docking right now for repairs," Yuno reported solemnly.

"Damn! Any word from the _Shipyard Naabal_?"

"Commander Elohim reports that his ship and fleet were badly buffeted by the shockwaves and several decks are venting to space. The situation on the shipyard is grim - life support is at forty percent and all other facilities are offline. He is making an emergency hyperspace jump to Hiigara along with what's left of his fleet. I suggest we do the same."

"We can't retreat, Sarum is all that stands between Hiigara and them! If we pull back now…"

"If we continue fighting we will face certain defeat! Face it, Eefrit, you can't win every time! I am plotting a course for the outskirts of the Hiigaran System, we'll mount our stand there. Soban, have you received coordinate data?"

"Sure we have. Executing jump ASAP."

"Alright then. This is Yuno, I am taking over temporarily from Admiral Eefrit for the duration of this jump. All ships prepare for jump to designated coordinates!"

Admiral Eefrit remained silent as Yuno coordinated the fleet's departure from Sarum. Meanwhile, the Raiders, Imperials and Vaygr forces watched on in glee as the Hiigarans fled. Minutes later, they too leapt to hyperspace in hot pursuit.


	11. Sicilian Defence

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 10:** **SICILIAN DEFENCE**

_The Hiigaran System is not without perils, as the Exiles discovered when they returned to their Homeworld. Not only did they have to contend with the Inhibitor Station fleet that guarded the Bridge of Sighs, they also had to save the Mothership from certain destruction by a collision asteroid used by the Imperials._

_While the inner orbits of the Hiigaran System can be considered uneventful in cosmic terms, the same cannot be said for the outer orbits and most importantly, the outskirts of the system. Here, asteroid belts move in random and high speed orbits thanks to the erratic gravitational pulls of the gas giants' movements in the area. The Hiigaran Navy has not encountered any resulting tragedy since Landfall, the closest being the Revelation-class Destroyer _Bushan Re_ which narrowly escaped destruction thanks to the assistance of the Somtaaw Explorer-class vessel_ Kuun Lan

_It must be said that the region the _Bushan Re_ drifted into was not the most violent region in the Hiigaran System Outskirts. That dubious distinction must instead go to Chapel Perilous, where the collision asteroid was built. Many astronavigational officers now agree that the Mothership was blissfully lucky enough to pass through the place during the Quiet Times. Had the Exile Fleet arrived at Chapel Perilous during the active cycles, they would have to struggle against asteroid movement dwarfing that in the Diamond Shoals asteroid field outside the Kadesh Nebula._

_Even with all the recent advances in Hiigaran technology, Chapel Perilous remains off-limits to all shipping traffic. Not even the presence of vast quantities of rare minerals could persuade the Somtaaw to send their mining fleets into this aptly-named region.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Exile_, Outskirts of Gehenna asteroid fields:**

The Hiigaran carrier fleet inched away from the Progenitor gate that had led them home. They were now on the outskirts of Gehenna, deep behind enemy lines. Already, Commander Hyll had ordered the fleet to start recharging hyperdrives to jump out of the Vaygr Reaches. Makaan's defeat had not shattered the Vaygr, only united their hatred against the Hiigarans.

The Seven Crusades were now separated, but each Crusade still posed a formidable threat to the Inner Rim. Even now, they still lead incursions into the Outer Rim worlds in an attempt to pierce the Inner Rim and raid Hiigara, but their sporadic attacks were always repelled.

Hyll was eager to leave at once as Gehenna was under the control of the Vermillion Crusade. The Vermillion Crusade was arguably the most powerful Crusade in the Vaygr Reaches. It was the Crusade that Makaan hailed from, and though it received a major blow in the the defeat of Makaan and his elite fleet, it had recovered to its original strength in a few months.

"You know, Kiir, at times like these I wish we could just jump out using the _Eye of Aaraan_."

"Indeed, but you know that sending a long range transmission to the central _Eye_ will surely reveal our presence to the Vaygr. We'll just have to sneak out undetected using the old way."

"Kiir, you know quite a bit about space travel. Ever thought of becoming a tactical officer?"

"Nah, I just read up a little bit on ship tactics and strategies my knowledge is still inadequate…"

"Nonetheless, it's good having you around the bridge."

"Thanks, you flatter me Commander."

"Please, just call me Hyll."

"Right."

The hyperspace module controls began to beep steadily, indicating that the _Exile_ was fully charged and ready for hyperspace jump. Commander Hyll gave the order to synchronise hyperdrives. If everything went well, they would reach the safety of Hiigaran space in about three jumps.

As the fleet made the jump to hyperspace, a Vaygr assault frigate hiding in a nearby dust cloud began beaming its discovery to the Vermillion Crusade…

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, hyperspace transit:**

The Mothership had entered hyperspace just minutes ago, and Yuno was still amazed by what her sensors had told her. As the _Gatekeeper_ had made the jump to hyperspace, she had noticed the immense quantum energies emanating from the derelict device attached to the bottom of the Dreadnaught. After running several checks against the Mothership's databases, she concluded that the quantum energy involved clearly exceeded that of the Three Cores by a very large margin.

Admiral Eefrit, on the other hand, was seated calmly in his chair, resting himself. He had made a grave tactical error in his haste to defend Sarum, resulting in the loss of countless lives when the crystals blew. Hopefully, a good rest would let him calm his nerves. Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to do so.

"We will be exiting hyperspace in one minute. All ships, stand by for full evasive manoeuvres."

Eefrit didn't quite understand why Yuno mentioned "full evasive manoeuvres."

"Yuno, I was wondering, why evasive? Shouldn't we be instead preparing to face the invasion fleets?"

"You see, I ran a check through all the possible hyperspace exit points and decided that only this one place is suitable to mount a defence."

A nearby screen lit up and Eefrit watched as a map of the Hiigaran System appeared. The green dot that represented the Mothership was approaching the outer edge of the system. Yuno zoomed in on their target destination, which appeared in bold red on the map.

"This place… Chapel Perilous!"

"Yes. I understand that the Chapel is currently in one of its most active cycles in a decade, we can use that to our advantage."

"Yuno, are you mad! That place literally swarms with rocks! There's no way the Raiders, Imperials or Vaygr could survive there…"

"This is precisely my point. The enemies seem to have forgotten the significance of the region, hence this will lead to their downfall."

"… Very well. How then do you propose we survive while the invaders do not?"

"I have instructed all repair crews to be on maximum alert and shunted power to all automatic repair systems. All outer decks have been evacuated except the bridge. I recommend that you all retreat to the inner auxiliary bridge for better protection."

"What! So we're just going to sit there and take it!"

"I'm receiving sensor data on asteroid positions and trajectories, computing best possible course. Hyperspace exit imminent, all ships stand by for full evasive manoeuvres!"

Eefrit and the rest of the bridge officers wasted no time in moving to the inner bridge.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Outskirts of Hiigaran System (Chapel Perilous):**

When the Dreadnaught slipped into normal space, everyone was greeted by an unpleasant sight. Asteroids ranging from interceptor-sized ones to the carrier-sized biggies were hurtling at frigate velocities in seemingly random directions. It looked to Soban that they had just jumped out of the pan and into the fire.

When Engineering had heard about their current situation, they wasted no time in diverting all remaining power to shields for cover from the asteroids. No sooner had the shields activated did a large frigate-sized rock slammed into the right side of the ship. The _Gatekeeper_ shuddered slightly, but her shields held and deflected the asteroid in another direction.

"Damage report!"

"Shields at ninety-six percent power, shield integrity still one hundred percent. We can handle those things without much trouble unless they come in a swarm, but we're not sure if we can take a hit from the bigger rocks."

"Got that. Helm, pull any excess power from weapons systems and divert to main drives. We need to evade as best as we can here."

Captain Soban then watched the viewscreens as the rest of the Mothership fleet faded into realspace. As soon as the jump windows closed, the _Legacy_'s point defence systems kicked into full alert and began blasting away at any asteroid within range. The frigates and destroyers shifted to high gear, trying their best to avoid getting hit. Meanwhile, the battlecruisers and carriers moved into a protective sphere around the Mothership, using their weapons to pummel any dangerous space rock coming the Mothership's way.

"Captain, we're receiving an incoming transmission from Yuno of the Mothership."

"Patch her through."

"Captain Soban, the enemy will be arriving any time now," Yuno cut in quickly,"I am transferring to your ship's databanks coordinates that you should follow to avoid as many collisions as possible. I will also analyse the formation of the enemy fleets and transmit the relevant targeting data to maximise the effectiveness of the Phased Cannon Array."

"Thanks for the help, but I think our shields can handle this fine."

"You need the shield power for the actual battle. Besides, my long range sensors are picking up an approaching asteroid swarm. It'll be on us in five minutes, and when that happens, expect asteroid density here to triple."

"Triple? As things stand right now those rocks are having a party around us!"

"Then brace yourselves for more. Yuno out."

Captain Soban slumped into his seat, dazed by what he had just heard. Yuno was one crazy female, though her plan might actually give them a chance to stop the invasion before it reached Hiigara. At that moment, the sensors screen lit up and beeped urgently. The invaders were arriving.

Sure enough, green and blue hyperspace windows opened to reveal the shining mass of metal that was the combined might of the Vaygr, Imperials and Raiders. Soban gasped at the sight, then heaved a sigh of relief when he saw a massive rock pummel through a dozen ion array frigates that were still exiting hyperspace. The frigates lit up in dazzling explosions, sending the enemy fleets into disarray.

The battlecruisers broke formation and started firing away wildly at any rock larger than a frigate, causing the shards of shattered asteroids to rip into the frigates and carriers with crippling force. Some of the ion array frigates were rendered useless as their fragile focusing arrays were broken apart, and repair crews rushed to cover gaping holes in the weaker spots of the attack carriers.

Captain Soban received firing data from Yuno, so he immediately gave the order for Weapons Control to charge the Phased Cannon Array. The _Gatekeeper_ aligned itself to face the enemy and glowed as it brimmed with energy. Then the blinding scythe of light leapt forth and tore through five Imperial battlecruisers, destroying three and crippling two.

The Vaygr were the first to realise that they were being fired upon, so their battlecruisers turned to face the Hiigaran fleets, launching their fusion missiles. More than a hundred missiles zipped through space, but only twenty-odd missiles hit the Hiigaran fleet, the rest of them discharging their payloads against asteroids. The Hiigaran ships fired back, using ion cannons to slice through the asteroids and scorch the Vaygr ships beyond.

Captain Soban gave the next order and the Dreadnaught fired again, frying another four more Imperial battlecruisers. The targeting data was very helpful as it showed all the battlecruisers that were lined up in a straight line for the Phased Cannon Array to eat through. By now, the Imperials and Raiders had reorganised themselves and joined in the fray.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Outskirts of Hiigaran System (Chapel Perilous):**

"Alright, there's a lot of data coming in right now, Eefrit you might want to take over from me to make things easier?"

Eefrit slowly got up from a chair, stretched, then grabbed the comm channel mic.

"Admiral Eefrit to all ships, pull back four kilometres. If we can pull this off right we can catch them in the swarm!"

Sure enough, there was a big ugly asteroid swarm looming in the distance. It looked nasty, and it was racing to them at murderous corvette speeds. Now, the Mothership broke formation with the other capital ships as the Hiigaran fleet raced to get out of the way. Captain Soban's ship remained behind to distract the enemy fleets and get them into the path of the approaching swarm.

The _Legacy_'s pulsars failed to deflect a frigate-sized asteroid, which slammed into the front of the Mothership with devastating force, sending shudders throughout the superstructure of the massive ship. Eefrit held on for dear life.

"Are we okay?"

"Outer hull breach and heavy inner hull damage, repair systems engaged at full power!"

"What's the status on the rest of the fleet?"

"Our frigates and destroyers managed to evade the asteroids, and the battlecruisers are deflecting the rocks with their weaponry. The carriers are hiding in the shadow of the battlecruisers, so they should be alright. Only problem is with the _Solar Sword_ – they haven't completed standard drive repairs and the ship is falling behind. The captain says that he'll be jumping the ship to Hiigara for safety's sake."

Sure enough, the damaged battlecruiser was lagging behind even the slow Mothership, and it looked set to be caught in the swarm. Just then a blue hyperspace window opened up and slid through the battlecruiser. They had managed to charge their hyperdrives in time. Meanwhile, the _Gatekeeper_ was now moving to catch up with the rest of the fleet. Captain Soban had successfully taken out a total of seventeen Imperial battlecruisers. The Raiders and Imperials pursued blindly while the Vaygr hesitated, wondering if there was any subtle trickery afoot.

The Vaygr saw what was coming, and started pulling back immediately. The Raiders and Imperials saw the swarm too, but they were too far in to move out of danger now. The asteroid swarm engulfed the combined Raider/Imperial fleet, barely grazing the retreating Vaygr fleet. The epic battle paused as both Vaygr and Hiigaran fleets stopped to stare in disbelief at the cosmic cataclysm unfolding before their eyes.

Screams were cutting through all communications frequencies as ships struggled to evade the rocks, and failed. A destroyer-sized chunk slammed into four ion array frigates and shattered the ships completely. The rock then split into several pieces to severely cripple two nearby heavy destroyers. The battlecruisers fired their energy burst cannons, deflecting many dangerous asteroids that were hurtling their way. Unfortunately, more chunks raced forward to replace their deflected comrades. Now it was the Imperials' might against the cosmic forces of Chapel Perilous.

A battlecruiser took a direct hit from a carrier-sized asteroid and broke in two, each ship fragment exploding at different times. Three Raider carriers manoeuvred to evade a bunch of large rocks, only to collide into each other and destroy themselves. Still, the chunks kept coming, tearing into the surviving carriers, frigates, destroyers and battlecruisers. By now the number of ships in the fleets had been reduced to half, and the survivors struggled to limp to the edges and break away from the unending assault.

Chapel Perilous did not wish to let them go, and threw the densest part of the swarm at the survivors. The rocks were now the size of command ships, and barely hundreds of metres apart. There was no evading these asteroids. One chunk swiped by and took with it six Imperial battlecruisers and nine heavy destroyers. Another rock cut into the fleet and obliterated a dozen ion array frigates and tore four carriers into pieces. Now the asteroid field lit up as the surviving ships lit up in a dazzling array of explosions, inundating the region with blinding amounts of light.

Still, the rocks kept coming. Both fleets could no longer see what was happening now, as the region was now obscured by large amounts of debris and space dust from the collisions. Fifteen minutes passed before Yuno declared the swarm as having "passed through completely." As the dust dissipated, it became evident that not a single Raider or Imperialist ship, save for the lucky strike craft that had launched in the last moments, had survived.

The remaining Raider fighters and corvettes now raced back to the Vaygr fleet to dock. However, the Vaygr had other ideas. Hundreds of bullets and mass drivers rained into the approaching strike craft, whose pilots were taken completely by surprise. When the remaining ships were all torn to pieces, the Vaygr transmitted a message to the _Legacy of Kharak_.

"We are reinforcements despatched from the Vermillion and Cyan Crusades. Though our allies are lost, we will still crush you pathetic Hiigarans!"

With that, the Vaygr advanced towards the Mothership and her fleet. Eefrit quickly started yelling orders again.

"All strike craft, launch and engage enemy fighters and corvettes! All other ships, continue to evade asteroids but try to bring weapons to bear on the Vaygr battlecruisers!"

"Emergency alert! I am picking up another incoming wave of asteroids! We are directly in its path!" Yuno warned urgently.

"What! Can we avoid it?"

"This one is big, at least thrice the size of the previous swarm! There is no escaping this, even at maximum drive speeds!"

"Alright then, all strike craft cancel orders and DO NOT LAUNCH! All who have launched, return immediately!"

"Setting course for the Angel Moon in Hiigaran orbit, all ships activate Sync Jump Algorithms and stand by for emergency hyperspace jump!"

The last fighters returned to dock and the fleet engaged their hyperdrives… and failed!

"Emergency alert! The Vaygr have activated their gravity well generators! We are trapped here, they are going to do to us what we did to the Imperials and Raiders!"

"Crap! All ships, full evasive manoeuvres! Yuno, get every crew onboard equipped with tools, we'll need all the repairing we can do! Get the other capital ships and frigates to do the same!"

"Swarm arriving in one minute… I don't believe this, the Vaygr battlecruisers are powering up their Trinity Cannons!"

"Damn the Vaygr!" It was then that the Mothership shook violently as three battlecruisers opened fire with their Trinity cannons simultaneously. The other battlecruisers fired on the Hiigaran battlecruisers and tore into whichever frigate was within their firing arcs. Klaxons started wailing and the lights flickered as the Mothership reeled from the assault.

"Priority alert, we have outer hull breaches across the entire left side, inner hull breaches across thirteen decks, critical damage to left side superstructure! Overall structural integrity at sixty percent… and we've lost the _Super Strike_ battlecruiser! _Omniscient_ and _Starflare_ report heavy damage to subsystems and internal structure!"

"We can't go down like this!" screamed Admiral Eefrit amidst the flickering and dimming lights of the auxiliary bridge.

"Swarm arrival in fifteen seconds!" Yuno was now at a loss of what to do next.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_:**

"The Mothership's been pretty badly beaten up by the battlecruisers, captain!"

"How long before the swarm comes?" Soban was now extremely anxious.

"Holy, we have ten seconds!"

"Captain! Engineering here, Grand Core reconfigured for Wake Jump!"

"Excellent! Engage Grand Core now!"

Five crucial seconds before the swarm reached the distressed Hiigaran fleet, the Grand Core hummed loudly and glowed as it surrounded itself with quantum energy. It then pulled the entire Hiigaran fleet into hyperspace. The Mothership's jump window closed just moments before the asteroids came hurtling in.

The Vaygr could only stare in disbelief as they saw the Hiigaran fleet escaping certain doom in spite of their inhibitor fields. They were even more alarmed when they traced the source of the massive energy spike to a Core-like object on the bottom of the Dreadnaught. As the full meaning of what they had seen sunk in, their disbelief melted away.

The commander of the fleet understood immediately the implications of a Core transcending the Three Cores. He gave the order for the fleet to push on to Hiigara. He would capture the Fourth Core and bring glory to the Vermillion Crusade he hailed from, in honour of the late leader Makaan.

The Vaygr fleet leapt into hyperspace.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

The smouldering Mothership inched slowly towards the _Second Scaffold_ for repairs as dozens of collectors from the Hiigaran Defence Fleet clung onto her beaten up left side to make temporary repairs. The massive Mothership Door had almost been torn in two, and mechanisms holding it in place were now straining against additional stress. The carriers accompanying the Mothership were now retreating to the rear of the _Second Scaffold_ after launching their Acolyte II squadrons.

Eefrit was not taking it easy. He was still barking orders at whatever combat-capable ship remained in his battered fleet to align itself with the Hiigaran Defence Fleet. He was sure that the Vaygr would come after them nonetheless.

Sure enough, the Vaygr hyperspaced in five minutes later with their battlecruisers, destroyers, frigates and carriers. Assault craft screamed from the launch bays of the carriers as the capital ships moved into position to fire.

The Hiigaran Defence Fleet leapt into action immediately. With the Mothership's three remaining battlecruisers too beaten up to fight, the Defence Fleet's six battlecruisers moved in against the fourteen Vaygr equivalents.

"Eefrit, we are still outnumbered! The other Kiithid's carrier fleets won't arrive until an hour later!" Yuno exclaimed as she processed the sensor data.

"What does the Defence Fleet have here?"

"Not enough battlecruisers, and ten destroyers to match the Vaygr's thirty-three! Our frigates are outnumbered three to one! Commander Elohim's fleet is in low Hiigaran orbit, anyway he can't help much either!"

"Dammit! All combat-capable vessels, assist the Hiigaran Defence Fleet in whatever way you can! _Second Scaffold_, recommend you evacuate immediately!"

"This is Scaffold Control, Hiigaran Fleet Command reports that the Hiigara Planetary Defence Systems are coming online in the next few minutes, and evacuation is underway. We will need cover!"

"Roger that! All strike craft, fall back and cover the evacuation squadron!"

The sight was one of chaos as the Mothership inched away from the advancing lines of battle, her fighters and corvettes rushing away to provide cover for the _Second Scaffold_ and its evacuation shuttles. Meanwhile, a Hiigaran battlecruiser erupted in a ball of fire, but not before it took down the Vaygr battlecruiser it was engaging. The Defence Fleet's destroyers were getting minced up by the Vaygr laser corvettes, and still more strike craft were swarming in from the carriers. The Vaygr already had fighter superiority, and were seeking to achieve capital ship dominance too.

One of the Vaygr battlecruisers got within range of the damaged _Legacy_ and fired its missiles and Trinity cannon on the fleeing vessel. The Mothership seemed to stagger under the assault, then its great Mothership Door broke into three pieces and detached from the main structure. Captain Soban quickly turned the Dreadnaught around and fired upon the battlecruiser, shattering it in one hit with the Phased Cannon Array. However, there was no way the _Gatekeeper_ could protect the Mothership from the approaching swarm of laser corvettes.

The corvettes came and pumped their laser shots into the Dreadnaught's shields before turning on the crippled _Legacy of Kharak_. With the Mothership Door gone, the fragile construction equipment underneath was now exposed. The corvettes dived in and strafed the production lines with their bolts of death, killing repair crews and effectively disabling the Mothership's capital ship production.

Captain Soban remained defiant and ordered for all point defence systems to be fired on the laser corvettes. Unfortunately there were just too many of them to shoot down with one Dreadnaught. By now, the last remnants of the Hiigaran Defence Fleet had been overwhelmed, and the surviving Vaygr forces now moved against the Mothership. Eefrit and Yuno knew that even with the shields on there was no way for the _Gatekeeper_ to win against at least seven battlecruisers.

The end seemed near as the battlecruisers opened fire on the Dreadnaught's withering shields. Suddenly, a massive yellow hyperspace window opened on top of the flaming Mothership, revealing the entire length of the ancient ship the Vaygr once sought. A familiar voice boomed across the fleet channels, much to the relief of Eefrit, Soban and Yuno.

"Warriors of the Fringe, you will now face the Wrath of _Sajuuk_!"

Karan opened fire with the _Sajuuk_'s nanite cannons as the great ship brought its feared weapon to bear on the Vaygr fleet. One shot brought with it the end of a battlecruiser. The Vaygr returned fire, unleashing fusion missiles, laser bolts and energy strikes from their Trinity Cannons, only to have it all absorbed silently as the _Sajuuk_'s superior energy shielding came online.

The Vaygr knew then that defeat was imminent. They spat curses at Karan and her mighty ship before retreating back into hyperspace.

* * *

**Onboard the _Oblivion_, The Great Wastelands (Gate 112A):**

As the hyperspace gate's enlarged portal closed silently, a robed Progenitor walked briskly to the side of the Divine Leader and whispered into his ear. Upon hearing the news, the Divine Leader smiled wryly. After a few moments of careful thought, he gave orders to take the fleet into the nearby nebula to harvest resources for the coming battle with _Sajuuk_.

With a great hum, the Progenitor fleet flickered into hyperspace along with its infected tradeships, leaving the massive hyperspace gate alone with its debris field of wrecked Hiigaran ships.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, deep space:**

The carrier and its accompanying fleet of frigates drifted silently in space as they recharged their hyperdrives for the next leg of the journey. They were still a good two jumps away from the Outer Rim. Kiir Sjet had retired to his quarters to sleep, while Commander Hyll opted instead for a short nap on the bridge. The crews of the carrier were quite exhausted after the hectic encounters and terrible events gone past.

Kiir had a nightmare, only this time it wasn't about the death of the pilot testing the prototype Super Acolyte. He dreamed that Hiigara was burning, all its oxygen stripped away by the flames. The cities were in ruins, and people were dying everywhere. He walked along a shattered street as though he were some spirit venturing around the place. Kiir then heard a roar coming from above. He looked up and saw the darkened sky part to reveal the deep blackness of space.

What came next caught him totally unawares. He was knocked off his feet by a powerful force that shredded everything in its path. The pavements cracked and the earth groaned in agony. He saw great fissures split in all directions from the pillar of eerie blue light now embedded in the heart of Hiigara. The pillar was huge, and seemed to pulsate with its own heartbeat, each pulse tearing the planet apart…

He awoke abruptly with a yelp, his hands cold with sweat. He was shivering with terror.


	12. Hiigara

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 11: HIIGARA

* * *

**

_"The Galactic Council recognized our claim to this world. _

_The sacrifice of thousands has left a trail of destruction behind us, like a path across the galaxy... to Hiigara, our homeworld. _

_So much destruction, so many lives lost, for this place... a place of wonder to those who knew only the sands of Kharak. _

_Our colonists were released from their long sleep. _

_All symbols of the old empire were destroyed, but the conflict will never be forgotten. _

_A celebration marked the beginning of a new time. _

_No longer Fleet Command, Karan Sjet survived extraction from the Mothership's core. _

_She insisted that she be the last person to disembark and set foot on the Homeworld."_

_- History of the Hiigaran Landfall

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Second Scaffold_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Admiral Eefrit walked slowly towards the shuttle docks of the massive structure. The _Legacy of Kharak_ had docked with the _Second Scaffold_ for extensive repairs to her shattered left side. Yuno was overseeing the entire operation and had suggested for the weary admiral to take a short break.

Anyway, Karan Sjet had on her return granted permission for the crews onboard the Mothership fleet to enjoy a few days of planet leave. They certainly had been through quite a bit on their maiden voyage, and she knew that this was probably the only time they had left to do so before the next crisis came.

He boarded his private shuttle and sat down in the pilot's seat. Pressing a few buttons on the console, the airlock of the little ship closed shut and the fusion drive roared into life. He grasped the steering controls and took the little ship out into space. The corvette-class vessel slid through the criss-crossing beams of the _Second Scaffold_'s outer structure, bringing Hiigara into full view.

Partially obscuring the beautiful sight of Hiigara from a distance were _Sajuuk_ and the Six Great Fleets of the various Kiithid, having arrived too late to repel the Vaygr attack. There were a total of thirty carriers, five each for the fleets of Sjet, Manaan, Soban, Naabal, Paktu and LirrHra. The number had been larger in the past, but Hiigara had yet to recover from the daunting encounters with the Vaygr.

Behind the Six Fleets lay the ships of the mighty Somtaaw. The colossal Explorer III-class command ship _Paaura_ stood guard over the low orbits around Hiigara. General Qwaar had worked quickly to rebuild his fleet after the battle at Tanis. Now the impressive ship was in formation with six _­_Gospel-class heavy dreadnoughts and thirty Dervish II multibeam frigates. As Eefrit manoeuvred his shuttle around the Somtaaw fleet and readied to fire the ship's boosters for the flight to low orbit, his sensors indicated incoming hyperspace signatures. He lifted his finger from the booster key and turned to catch his first glimpse of the new Somtaaw ships.

The _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_ exited hyperspace with their mining fleets. Just a few months back both command ships had docked with the _Second Scaffold_ for an overhaul and upgrade to the Explorer III-class design. For both ships that was the second overhaul they had experienced, and though each upgrade left them good as new, the fact remained that they are grand old dames at least eighty years of age. While their primary purpose remains that of the miners, the siege cannons equipped on both ships served as warnings to those who wished to doubt their war capabilities.

Eefrit's shuttle blasted forward with its boosters, dashing into low Hiigaran orbit. It would take him around two hours to reach the atmosphere itself. Whatever Karan was preparing for, it seemed serious enough to warrant a recall of all Hiigaran fleets back to the Homeworld.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

The _Gatekeeper_ was also docked with the _Second Scaffold_, and now scientists were swarming all over the ship. All of them were enthralled by the power and existence of the Grand Core, and were seeking to unlock its secrets as requested by Karan Sjet.

Soban hated this. He hated it whenever scientists got onboard and started poking their noses into literally anything in sight. Of course, it was thanks to them that they could use the shield systems of the Dreadnaught. He was grateful for that, but nothing else. Now they were getting into everyone's way.

He left the ship in the care of his loyal crew, hoping the scientists wouldn't screw anything up. A quick walk took him to the dock point of the _Gatekeeper_. Soban took a deep breath and crossed over to the _Second Scaffold_.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

Yuno was busy coordinating repair efforts between the crews of the Mothership and the _Second Scaffold_. There was much to be done, especially since Karan wanted the _Legacy_ at operational readiness within the next hundred hours. Her tone had been urgent when she gave the order, as time was not something they had in excess.

Countless engineers had lost their lives when the capital ship production bay was deprived of the Mothership Door's protection. The Vaygr had been merciless in their assaults, targeting any Hiigaran they could see and vaporising them with the corvette's laser bolts. With the engineers dead, they had then gone on to shoot every production mechanism in sight to deprive the Mothership of capital ship production.

The Vaygr did a splendid job. New engineers from the _Second Scaffold_ could only stare at the damage and sigh. There was no way to restore full production within the hundred hour timeslot. They told Yuno that she would have to make do without that capability until at least a week later, which was the fastest estimated time for repair completion. Yuno reported the matter to Karan, who then decided that they needed another Mothership to compensate for the loss of _Legacy_'s capital ship production.

"Karan, you know there is no way we can build another Mothership with the _Second Scaffold_ in time to meet the Progenitor, or even the Vaygr invasion."

"I know, Yuno. That is why I am considering a jump into Balcora."

"Balcora? Karan, even with the combined power of the Three Cores the _Sajuuk_ barely made it out of there with the rest of the fleet! The gravity well effect there is much too powerful."

"But you see, we need the production capabilities of the _Pride of Hiigara_ if we are to survive this. The Somtaaw and the other kiithid cannot spare any resources, as they are engaged in the restoration of their own fleets and the Hiigaran Defence Fleet. You must also remember that out of the six shipyards we possess, one is down. And this comes at a time when we've suffered heavy losses in the capital ship classes."

"I understand that the _Pride of Hiigara_, unlike _Legacy_, is not equipped to build battlecruisers, Karan."

"True, but she can still produce destroyers and carriers. This will free up resources for other pressing needs such as battlecruiser production. We learned the hard way that the Vaygr still possess formidable might in the super capital ship class."

"But that is not reason enough to risk the _Sajuuk_! Why, the only reason Hiigara was spared from the Vaygr was that you came in time to defend the Homeworld with _Sajuuk_!"

"Which brings me to the point that we have become too dependent on this Progenitor ship for our security. Yuno, if we do not recover the _Pride_ I fear that not even _Sajuuk_ will save us from the coming darkness."

"… Very well. But you shouldn't go alone!"

"I have to. If I bring a fleet along with me there will be inadequate power left to jump the _Pride of Hiigara_ back here. The only way to accomplish this, as I have calculated, is if I go without support."

"Nothing I say now will change your mind, will it?"

"I'm afraid not, Yuno Manaan. I understand your concern, though."

"If so, then may the Gods of Kharak watch over you, Karan."

"And you too, Yuno."

Yuno watched with her mechanical sensors as the _Sajuuk_ disappeared from view.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, deep space:**

"Commander, looks like we've got company. Multiple Vaygr hyperspace signatures detected!"

"What are we looking at here?"

"Typical Vaygr carrier fleet - twenty-one heavy missile frigates and three destroyers. They appear to be from the Vermillion Crusade."

"Then we have to defeat them quickly and escape to hyperspace. This fleet's probably here to delay us before the main fleet arrives. How long before we can jump to hyperspace?"

"Ten more minutes, Commander."

"Then we'll do it in ten. Launch all strike craft to provide fighter cover. All frigates, stand by to attack!"

The _Exile_ spewed forth her complement of interceptors and pulsar gunships to meet the equivalents launched from the Vaygr carrier. Meanwhile the thirty ion frigates moved into formation to receive the attacks from the Vaygr frigates. Thankfully, they had built a couple of defence field frigates to support the fleet against the destroyers. As the Vaygr let loose their first salvo of fusion missiles, the defence fields sprung up in two blue glowing spheres encapsulating the Hiigaran fleet.

"It looks like we could use some help. Comm officer, get a transmission through to the nearest Hiigaran outpost."

"Got it, calling the inhibitor station in the Aiowa System."

All this time, Kiir Sjet watched the battle unfold before him. They could have used their hyperdrives to generate quantum distortions for assistance, but they needed all the energy they could get for their hyperspace escape. Suddenly, a series of images flashed into his mind, causing him to stagger. He collapsed into a nearby chair and clutched his forehead, groaning in pain. Hyll noticed this and rushed over to Kiir's side.

"Kiir! What's wrong!"

"… Images… in my… head…"

"Just keep calm! Get a medic here on the double!"

"… No… I'm okay… it's just… we won't be getting any help here…"

"Why? Why so!"

"I don't know… it's just that… there's no one out there to help us…"

With that, Kiir lost consciousness.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, hyperspace transit:**

Karan Sjet sensed a psychic outburst. It was desperate. She focused quickly and instantaneously acquired the source of the signal. What lay at the source surprised her – it was a Hiigaran! So psychics did exist among Hiigarans, despite all the theories and scientific work done to disprove the notion.

Another instant thought and the Three Cores lent some power from the _Sajuuk_'s far jump. They hummed loudly and sent a discharge of quantum energy to the source of the signal. She would look into the discovery soon enough, but for now the _Pride of Hiigara_ remained on her top priority list.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, deep space:**

Kiir Sjet was being rushed to the infirmary by a duo of medics. Commander Hyll would have accompanied him, but there was a battle to see to. It was then that the sensors began beeping crazily, as though a million ships were coming out of hyperspace around them.

"Sir! We're picking up a massive quantum waveform fluctuation! It's engulfing our fleet!"

"What do you mean? How will it affect us?"

"If this keeps up… emergency alert, we are being pulled into hyperspace!"

Commander Hyll was relieved when he heard the news. As far as he knew, only one ship in the Galaxy had the power to pull fleets into hyperspace regardless of their location. Luckily for them, that ship was in Hiigaran hands.

"I guess we don't have to worry then," beamed Hyll, "It looks like we'll be reaching home ahead of schedule!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Cosmos_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Luca Paktu awoke abruptly in agony. He pressed the emergency call button beside his bunk and clutched his left leg, moaning in pain. It felt like something was whacking him with a sledgehammer inside his calf, and the throbbing felt worse than any pain he had encountered in his military career thus far.

The doctor entered the room promptly, and was alarmed at the sight of Luca holding his leg in great agony. He quickly rushed forth and rolled up the left side of his trousers. Nothing in Dr Ersa's training could have prepared him for this. Luca's left calf was swollen in a grotesque, misshapen shape. The veins were clearly visible as little ridges on the skin, and the entire muscle seemed to be throbbing slowly like it had a life of its own.

Dr Ersa called for help immediately. This was clearly a case for emergency surgery. A pair of medics entered and heaved Luca onto a stretcher, carrying him to the operating theatre in the infirmary. Dr Ersa followed closely behind, bracing himself for the challenging task ahead.

As soon as the medics placed Luca Paktu on the operating table, the worried doctor whipped out a surgical knife and ordered for immediate sedation. Seconds later, Luca slipped into deep sleep. Dr Ersa made the first incision carefully down the side of the swollen muscle, followed by a few quick cuts so that he could see what was going on inside. As he carefully shifted the flaps of skin open, he stared in horror at the sight inside.

"Merciful Hiigara…"

Those were the last words of Dr Ersa before a crimson tendril shot out and impaled him through the heart. The medics gasped and tried to flee, but it was too late. The tendril extended through the deceased doctor's back split in two and pierced through their legs. Both men collapsed to the floor, screaming in terror and agony as the tendril went in deep, branching out into more tendrils, progressing up the leg and into the abdomen where the vital organs lay. The screams died as quickly as they had started.

The tendrils worked quickly, releasing enzymes to dissolve the flesh and reprogram their DNA. Blood splattered as the three corpses were torn apart, their ruined flesh getting drawn back into Luca's leg. Only now, the swelling was spreading quickly up the leg and throughout his body. Luca felt nothing thanks to the sedation, but the entity was making some fundamental changes to his biological and physical structure. Their job done, the tendrils retracted, and the leg wound closed behind them.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

Yuno's attention was diverted from the repair operations the moment she received word of a gruesome incident happening in one of the Mothership fleet's carriers. She quickly opened communications with the bridge of the carrier.

"This is Yuno of the Mothership _Legacy of Kharak_. What's going on there, _Cosmos_?"

"This is Captain Leo of the _Cosmos_, we're not too sure about what exactly happened. It seemed like the doctor and the medics were attacked by something."

"Any idea as to what it could be?"

"We're not sure. No one else was in the theatre but them. The camera systems failed temporarily for an unknown reason some fifteen minutes ago. The system's back online, and it seems to have been caused by an electrical surge from the infirmary call system. Engineers are investigating the exact cause of the surge as we speak."

"Very well. Please get to the bottom of this horrific crime as quickly as possible. The last thing we need on our hands in the coming war is a predator running amok on one of our carriers. Yuno out."

Yuno returned to overseeing the Mothership repairs, but she still couldn't take her mind off the images that were beamed to her.

* * *

**Assaam Kiith'sid, Hiigaran Capital City:**

Admiral Eefrit walked away from the busy spaceport, reveling in the hustle and bustle taking place in the capital city of Hiigara. This city was the centre of all Hiigara and her territories throughout space. Eefrit entered a shuttle station and waited among the crowd of Hiigarans for the next shuttle to arrive.

As expected, the hovership arrived on schedule and he boarded it along with a few other Hiigarans. There were few people on board the shuttle as its final destination was the outskirts of the Assaam Kiith'sid, a rural area where traditional farming was practiced. With a soft hum, the hovership lifted off and soared into the air. Eefrit picked up a book from the rack next to his seat and started reading to keep himself occupied. Entitled "The End Times – A short history of the Vaygr Wars," the book was fairly amusing to read. It depicted Karan Sjet as some divine demi-goddess who had led the fleet to victory against impossible odds.

Eefrit was chuckling as he turned to the page about Tanis Base. At that, he fell silent. He had lost many good friends who were part of the _Pride of Hiigara_ project when the Vaygr launched their surprise attack. He was one of the lucky few commanders who happened to be onboard the Mothership when the first wave of bombers came to assault Chimera base. He still remembered clearly the painful moment when Karan Sjet decided to initiate the emergency jump to Hiigara, leaving all else behind to the Vaygr.

Eefrit quickly put the book back as all the sad memories came flooding back. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to maintain his composure. When he opened his eyes again, the shuttle was landing at another station. The doors slid open and passengers got off and on. When the hovership took off again, Eefrit and the pilot were the only ones left on board. Eefrit looked out the viewport and saw the shining skyline of the city fading into the distance.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, hyperspace transit:**

"How is Kiir?"

"We're not entirely sure either, but from what we're seeing it appears that he was experiencing some anomalous increase in neural activity. It's died down to normal now, but it is intriguing…"

"What else did you find out?"

"Well, the spike in his neural activity records appears to coincide perfectly with a strange signal picked up by the communications systems."

"What was the signal's range?"

"Unknown, but judging from the frequency it was sent out on, it is likely to go pretty far out, possibly as far as the Core regions. Unfortunately, the signal was sent out in all directions. We can expect at least a third of the Galaxy to have received the signal."

"I don't suppose that would matter, would it? I mean, we're moving into Hiigaran space…"

The communications officer came into the infirmary where Hyll and the doctor were talking beside Kiir's bed.

"Commander, I tried transmitting to the inhibitor station in the Aiowa System."

"I see. What did they say?"

"… Nothing, sir. I only received an automated repeating message. It turns out that the station has been set on automatic, and all its crews and ships recalled to Hiigara."

"Huh? Hiigaran Fleet Command wouldn't authorize such a move. This will definitely compromise the sovereignty of all controlled territories beyond the zone of influence. Unless…"

Commander Hyll pondered the matter for a while, then shook his head gravely and turned back to the sleeping Kiir.

"This could be worse than we expected. We can only hope that the Progenitors have yet to reach Hiigara."

* * *

**Landfall Memorial, outskirts of Assaam Kiith'sid:**

Eefrit followed the path winding through the forest. As he walked on, the sounds of a gushing waterfall got louder and louder. He brushed aside a bunch of low lying branches and was greeted by the fine mist of the waterfall. It was a wonder to behold, crystal clear water gushing off the edge of a cliff at least a hundred metres high. The waters roared as they impacted the pool below.

In front of the waterfall was a black metallic structure in the shape of the Mothership. This monument was erected in commemoration of the end of the Homecoming, and the historic Hiigaran Landfall. Regrettably, the people of Hiigara had soon forgotten about this significant event, being too busily wrapped up in their own lives on this world of wonder. Rarely visited now, this symbol was one of the closest and last links the Hiigarans had with their old world of Kharak.

Kharak was now a planet lost in myth and tale. The Kharak System had disappeared into an interstellar dust cloud, and no Hiigaran expedition had been able to find the lost world. This was disappointing, as many still hoped that some people would have survived the Kharakian Genocide carried out by the Taiidan Empire. For this reason, the _Faal Corum_'s astronavigation teams continued their research into possible locations of Kharak. Unfortunately, their efforts were complicated by the fact that a nearby star had gone nova, causing a miniscule disruption to the orbit of the Kharak System around the galactic core.

Eefrit felt the cold surface of the metallic statue, running his fingers along the contours of the small Mothership. They had done a great disparagement to the people of Hiigara by allowing the Vaygr to molest the Mothership and even cripple it. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to overhaul the old Mothership into the new _Legacy of Kharak_. After all, the _Legacy_ was still the original Mothership, no matter what changes they made to her structure and design. The Mothership remained one of the most important symbols to the Hiigaran people.

"I thought you'd be here." came a familiar voice. Eefrit turned around, and to his surprise, saw Captain Soban standing solemnly at the edge of the forest.

"Soban! I didn't expect you to come down to the Homeworld too."

"Well, I couldn't stand those pesky people running all around the ship. I thought of dropping by my old frigate, but it was out patrolling the Hiigaran Control Zone."

Captain Soban walked to a nearby boulder and sat down, enjoying the misty ambience of the waterfall. Hiigara was a beautiful place, and so perfect. It was now so easy to see why Hiigara was the centre of so many conflicts since the First Time. Eefrit remained at the tip of the cliff, immersing himself in the roar of the waterfall.

"Eefrit, you need to wind down a bit. You seem too engrossed with fleet matters for your own good."

"Yes, I know. But this is a beautiful place, isn't it?"

"Truly. Though, I wonder what Kharak would have looked like."

"Well, ever since I saw the Planet Killers raining missiles down onto Hiigara, I vowed to do everything I could to stop such a thing from happening again."

"One of the missiles made it through, didn't it?"

"It was horrific. Seventy-five million people wiped out by the initial blast and the resulting loss of atmospheric oxygen. It took a full year for Hiigara's oxygen levels to return to normal. Until then, many people became incapacitated due to the lack of oxygen."

Eefrit walked over to Captain Soban and sat down beside him. Friends since childhood, their busy duties meant that they now hardly had time for this sort of private conversation.

The ambience of the Memorial was suddenly shattered as wailing sirens pierced the air. Both Soban and Eefrit got up in alarm. The type of siren they were hearing heralded only one message: an immediate evacuation from urban areas into the mountains. The last time this siren blared was during the Siege of the Planet Killers.

They glanced back at the distant city, which was now shifting into a state of emergency.

"Looks like it's time to head back."

"I'll bet the frigate flights to the _Second Scaffold_ would have been suspended. Why don't you hop onto my shuttle?"

"Sure thing then. Thanks Eefrit."

The two friends started running towards the waiting hovership.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, hyperspace transit:**

Karan could feel the incredible power of the black holes already, tugging at her ship, trying to wrench them back into normal space. But the Three Cores stood their ground and continued to push the _Sajuuk_ through hyperspace, though they were slowly being strained towards their limits. Karan focused harder, assisting the might of the Three with her willpower. She could feel the presence of the _Pride of Hiigara_, still perfectly intact and left exactly the way they had left it two years ago.

The presence kept growing like a figure in the distance, once far but drawing increasingly nearer. Now the great ship was almost within her grasp. She sent a thought to the _Sajuuk_'s central control systems, and the massive vessel returned to normal space.

And there it was.

The _Pride of Hiigara_.


	13. Darkness

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 12: DARKNESS

* * *

**

_After analyzing the data we collected from the _Khar-Toba_'s sister ship we've been able to determine what happened in the nebula. _

_While the _Khar-Toba_ was able to limp to Kharak, this ship instead must have tried to hide here. They soon resorted to preying on ships passing through the nebula._

_In time the nebula became off limits to all shipping. They developed hyperspace inhibitor technology to trap prey from far away without leaving the safety of the nebula. _

_Eventually it became the center of their existence and ultimately, their religion._

_- Mothership Archives

* * *

_

**Assaam Kiith'sid, Hiigaran Capital City:**

One would have expected the civilians in the city to panic and flee in chaotic directions. However, Hiigara had been subject to so many threats of invasion that evacuation procedures were now routine to most Hiigarans. Admiral Eefrit and Captain Soban were surprised to see the people moving towards the designated shelters and evacuation routes in an orderly but quick manner.

As both Eefrit and Soban continued running towards the space port, they were surprised to see the Elders of the New Daiamid being taken onboard space shuttles headed for orbit. This was strange, as the Elders had always been evacuated to secure locations on the Homeworld in times of crisis. Something was definitely amiss.

"How much longer before we get to your shuttle?" Soban asked.

"We're nearly there, just a few minutes more…"

Both men dashed into the boundaries of the space port, which was now swarming with military personnel. The shuttle waited patiently on a launch pad. Wasting no time, Soban got on while Eefrit initiated power up procedures immediately.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

Yuno was racing through the cyber world of the Mothership's computer systems, making the final adjustments to algorithms that had been corrupted by the power surges in their battles. They were out of time now, even as the repair crews from the _Second Scaffold_ were struggling to rebuild a new Mothership Door for the _Legacy of Kharak_. The hull breaches and external structural damage on the left side of the _Legacy_ had mostly been repaired, and the new Door was slowly taking shape.

Yuno completed her software diagnostics and repairs just when she received an incoming transmission on a secure channel.

"This is Yuno of the Mothership."

"This is Eefrit here, what's going on up there?"

"Eefrit? Where are you now? We need you back here immediately!"

"I'm on my shuttle along with Captain Soban. We've just left Hiigara's atmosphere and are heading for the _Second Scaffold_. Why did the warning sirens go off? And where are they taking the Elders to?"

"I'll make this quick. Remember the probe we left in the Coruc-Tel System to monitor the infected inhibitor station? Well, the station went active and started shredding pieces off it to build frigates and other ships. Now we have no station and a fleet of about fifteen frigates of unknown design and configuration."

"I don't see why that warrants immediate evacuation."

"The other thing is that the sensor outposts on the outskirts of Kadesh have picked up considerable hyperspace activity. Further analysis indicates that the Progenitor fleet is jumping out along with the Kadeshi fleet!"

"I see. Soban just told me about the Kadeshi. Turns out they survived our assault, only to fall to the Progenitors."

"The problem is that the Kadeshi ships have no infection signature. They are operating on their own free will!"

"Great. So they formed an alliance? Now we have to contend with Kadeshi ships as well as Bentusi craft and infected vessels…"

"That is still not all. The sensor outpost in the Eastern Outer Rim has determined that the Vaygr Crusades have started moving as one again."

"What! Have they found a new leader already?"

"Intelligence is still trying to confirm that. All we know now is that the Vaygr have a keen interest in the capabilities of our recently discovered Grand Core. They no longer seem to be worried about _Sajuuk_ stopping them, as it seems that they will use whatever means necessary to claim the Core."

"So basically, we're gonna have to deal with an invasion of ancients from the west, and an invasion of barbarians from the east at the same time?"

"In other words, we are going to be faced with a battle that we can't win, not even with the _Sajuuk_. As for the Elders, they will never be evacuated to orbit unless it has been decided that…"

"Wait, are you saying that we're abandoning Hiigara?"

"The Somtaaw command ships _Kuun Lan_, _Faal Corum_ and this Mothership are being upgraded with cryogenic subsystems for colonist transportation. Already, the New Daiamid has randomly selected two million people for cryofreeze."

"Two million? Out of over a hundred million?"

"I don't see why not. We are now faced with a situation similar to way back when this Mothership made her maiden hyperspace jump. We take to the stars, or face extinction."

"But our Homeworld, Hiigara, we've fought so much to claim and defend it. How can we just abandon it now?"

"Hiigaran Fleet Command's decision is final, and I regret to say that we have to carry out orders. For now, we can only retreat and return to fight another day."

Admiral Eefrit fell silent for a minute as he contemplated the sudden change in events.

"… How much time do we have?"

"Estimates indicate that the Progenitors will arrive first about three days later, the Vaygr next in five days. The improved cryofreeze processes will allow us to start transferring colonists within forty hours. We haven't got much time. Karan has already found the _Pride of Hiigara_ and is preparing to jump both _Sajuuk_ and the _Pride_ back here for additional support."

"Very well. Sajuuk protect us all. Eefrit out."

Yuno closed the comm channel. She too was worried and fearful. Would they be able to survive this trial?

The _Exile_ emerged from hyperspace in high orbit over Hiigara. The crews of the returned fleet cheered for joy at their safe return, only to see the gathered Hiigaran Navy at a level of alert not seen since the time of the Vaygr Wars.

Kiir Sjet had regained consciousness, though he still felt slightly drowsy. He watched the viewscreens as the carrier and its fleet began trudging towards the _Second Scaffold_.

"This is Commander Hyll of the Naabal carrier _Exile_. We have returned."

"This is Scaffold Control, it's good to see you again. When the Progenitors invaded via that gate we thought you were lost forever."

"Things look busy around here. What's happening?"

"Don't have time for details, all we can tell you is to be prepared for a long journey. We may not see Hiigara for a very long time. Alright, just get docked, we'll provide basic maintenance for your carrier and fleet. Scaffold Control out."

Commander Hyll turned to Kiir Sjet with a look of despair on his face. Kiir responded by bowing his head down gravely.

* * *

**Ecur System, outskirts of Sea of Lost Souls:**

The planet Ecur was in chaos as people struggled to get onboard the evacuation ships. Already, the bulk of the colony fleet was in orbit, standing by to hyperspace out of the doomed star system. Hiigaran interceptors swarmed the entire length of the growing convoy, providing little comfort to those who knew what was coming.

Suddenly, the sensor screens of the escorting Hiigaran carrier lit up in brilliant flashes of blue. The enemy had arrived. Quickly, the commander onboard the carrier sent an emergency message to the convoy. Responding immediately, the line of colony ships opened their aqua hyperspace windows, only to have them wither and close shut.

The commander looked at the viewscreens and saw the horror beyond. Eight Kadeshi needleships had ensnared the entire fleet in an inhibitor field. They were trapped! He roared out his orders and watched as his frigates moved to intercept the multibeam frigates and swarmers advancing on the convoy.

It was then that yellow hyperspace windows began opening behind the Kadeshi fleet, revealing the fleet of the Progenitors. All onboard the convoy gasped as they caught a glimpse of the immense World Crusher ship. The awe soon dissipated when the Kadeshi began slicing colony ships in half with their ion cannons, impaling any surviving vessels with mass drivers from their strike craft.

The commander watched from onboard his carrier as the convoy was decimated. Soon, his frigate screen went to hell and the enemy ships began moving towards his ship.

* * *

**Onboard the Kadeshi command needleship _Divina_, Ecur System:**

The robed Kadeshi high priest watched coldly as the Hiigaran carrier burned at the hands of their multibeam frigates. Much of their populace had been decimated with the cruel destruction of their city by one of the Unclean. Just when all hope had seemed lost, Kadesh had come to lead them along the Divine Path.

The revelation had been simple. The Divine Path was one that led from the Garden to the place they had originated from – Hiigara. Kadesh had instructed them to push on and vanquish all the Unclean that lay beyond. Hiigara was the source of all this filth, he had said, and that their banishment from the planet thousands of years ago was actually a liberation.

"Your holiness, we have destroyed all of the Unclean and their ships. And yet, still more of them launch from their filthy planet."

"It doesn't matter. We have opened the path for Kadesh to purify the system," came the emotionless reply of the high priest. "Order all ships to stand clear of the Great Ship of Kadesh."

The Kadeshi fleet parted before the advancing World Crusher _Oblivion_. The _Oblivion_ was designed like a super massive ion array frigate, except that the whole structure looked like a terrible sword from the heavens themselves. The huge quantum arrays slowly swung open as the ship bloomed like a flower. Almost immediately, the ship seemed to pulsate as light was refracted around the ship.

The space time continuum around the _Oblivion_ shimmered and bent as the frontal spike of the ship glowed a bright blue. The colony ships launching from the planet seemed to sense the danger and tried desperately to get away, but there was not enough time. As the glow intensified, the spike shimmered ever more violently as the fabric of space was strained beyond its limits and compressed into a singularity of pure quantum energy.

Moments later, the spike fired forth a mighty pillar of aqua light. The dimension of hyperspace had been pulled into realspace, and this otherworldly space now pierced through normal space like an unstoppable arrow. As the quantum energies of hyperspace met the Ecur's atmosphere, the entire world groaned as powerful vibrations pulsated through its interior and the sky was forced open. The launching colony ships were reduced to atoms, and the city that was directly in the pillar's path was no more.

Now a shockwave blasted through the atmosphere as the beam hit the ground, crumbling anything that had survived the initial blast. The beam pulsated strongly, each pulse splitting the earth and cracking through the mantle of the doomed planet. As the shockwave stripped away the last remnants of Ecur's atmosphere, the planet seemed to scream as chunks of semi molten rocks blasted away with each pulse. Still, the beam poured more energy into the world.

The continental plates of Ecur began to throb as the faults separating them widened, revealing the ruined mantle beneath. The core of the planet was still holding together in defiance of the pillar of light, but it was slowly being pushed towards shatter point.

When the cataclysm finally happened, the high priest had to shield his eyes along with the rest of his crew. Ecur shattered in an explosion that outshone even the primary star of the Ecur System, finally overwhelmed by the sheer might of the _Oblivion_'s quantum pulse cannon.

Another system had been cleansed. With a wave of his hand, the high priest authorised the hyperspace jump to the next star system.

* * *

**High orbit over Hiigara:**

The light from Hiigara's primary star shimmered in the _Sajuuk_'s jump window as the godly ship returned to realspace. Moments later, an exceptionally tall blue hyperspace window opened. As it slid along, it revealed the _Pride of Hiigara_ mothership. The fleet communications were filled with cheers as all of Hiigara celebrated the retrieval of the excellent vessel.

As the _Sajuuk_ moved away from the empty _Pride of Hiigara_, frigates and carriers moved forth to board the vessel and outfit the mothership with a skeleton crew. When that was done, they would move the _Pride_ closer to the _Second Scaffold_ for the transfer of a full and complete crew. When that was accomplished, Karan would be able to take remote control of the _Pride_ from _Sajuuk_ until they found another person suited for the job of being an Unbound persona.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

Yuno was relieved at the safe return of both Karan and the _Sajuuk_. She was even more relieved to see the _Pride of Hiigara_ back in Hiigaran orbit. The only problem was that it was missing its Mothership Door, but that would be taken care of as soon as the _Pride of Hiigara_ could dock with the _Second Scaffold_.

Meanwhile, repairs on the _Legacy_ had been coming along nicely. Except for capital ship production, every other system was fully operational. All that was left to do now was to complete reconstruction of the Mothership Door, which was now a third complete. Once at least fifty percent of the Door had been rebuilt, the _Legacy_ could launch to complete repairs on its own, freeing up docking space for the _Pride of Hiigara_.

Expecting a launch anytime within the next twelve hours, Yuno busied herself rechecking system processes onboard the Mothership to make sure that everything was ready for the coming Exodus.

* * *

**Onboard the shuttle _Stardust_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

The little shuttle slowly came into view of the _Second Scaffold_, its boosters shutting down. After two hours of space flight, Soban and Eefrit had finally reached high orbit. As Admiral Eefrit made the final adjustments to the ship's systems in preparation for entry into the _Second Scaffold_'s docking bays, Soban looked out the view port and sighed.

"Eefrit, somehow I can't help but feel that our race is cursed."

"Why so?" Eefrit replied in surprise to Soban's sudden speech.

"I mean, look. We found the Second Core and got our empire wiped out. Then we were exiled to Kharak, where we stayed for four thousand years. Next we nearly went extinct just because of a hyperdrive test. Even when we reached Hiigara things have been going badly. First was the Beast War, next the Vaygr Invasion, and now this. What did we do to deserve such a fate?"

Eefrit remained silent, pondering over the matters that Soban raised. He too wanted an everlasting peace, one that would not be interrupted by sudden viral outbreaks or barbarian invasions. But would such a peace ever be possible?

"Eefrit?"

"Nothing… Soban, just get strapped in, we're going in."

With that, the shuttle swerved and parked itself neatly within the confines of the large hangar.

* * *

**Onboard the _Cosmos_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Luca awoke groggily in his bunk. Looking around, he was bewildered. Instead of seeing a white surgery theatre with the sickening stench of chlorine permeating through everything, he was back in his room in the infirmary section.

There was no more pain in his leg. Luca found this strange bent over to look at it. It was perfectly normal, with no scar of surgery or bizarre swelling. The only change he felt was a mystifying increase in strength. At that realisation, he got out of the bunk and went to the toilet to look himself in his mirror.

Things were very bizarre. His muscles had grown considerably despite his stay in bed. Had they been feeding him steroids, he wondered? He also realised that he had grown taller by a few centimetres, for he had to bend a little to keep his head in the mirror. There was also this strange feeling physically and mentally, that he was quite different, but he didn't understand how.

As Luca returned to his bunk, his hand brushed the emergency call button on the wall. Suddenly, a series of images flashed before his eyes, culminating in a severe headache. He groaned, then crumpled into the bunk as the headache intensified. He seemed to be flying through another dimension, with streams of light flowing past him. Luca became vaguely aware of the carrier's position in space, and of other ships in orbit…

The headache died away unexpectedly, and Luca gasped for air, panting vigorously. Whatever that experience was, it was definitely not normal. Then the headache came back with a vengeance. He gripped his temples and moaned before losing consciousness.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Karan Sjet rested among the interface wiring and cables in her control cubicle while waiting for Kiir Sjet's arrival. She wanted to know about what they had discovered in the other galaxy, and also to ask him about his surprising telepathic abilities. She constantly scanned the nearby regions of space around the Hiigaran System, so as to prevent any surprise assaults by the Progenitors. So far, it had been clear, but she was uneasy. With each passing second, she felt the slow but steady approach of a dark presence.

The doors to the command room slid open, marking the arrival of Kiir Sjet and Commander Hyll. They bowed slightly in the presence of the Sajuuk-Khar.

"Please do rise." Karan quickly said, "You have been through a lot. Please dispense with all that ridiculous ceremony."

"Thank you, Karan." replied Kiir.

"Now, I have many questions, the first regarding the Bentusi you encountered there."

"Why, yes. When the gate closed and trapped us there, our first encounter was with an infected Bentusi fleet. Prior to that, we had found signs of a battle between the Bentusi and the infection entity. There was also evidence of Progenitor intervention."

"And so, the battle went badly for the Bentusi?"

"Yes… Being outgunned and outnumbered, naturally so."

"I see. And the survivors, they…"

"… I'm afraid that they sacrificed themselves so that we could get back home."

At that, Karan bowed her head down, eyes closed. The Bentusi were exceptionally close friends of hers, and all of Hiigara was in their debt. They had helped them since the First Time, and now, they were all gone. After a few moments of silence in respect for the noble Bentusi, Karan raised her head to speak once again.

"The Bentusi were a great civilisation, and friends of Hiigara. I will see to it that they will never be forgotten. What did you manage to learn of the Progenitors?"

"Well, all the data we have on them, I believe you have it too, having encountered the Progenitors personally at Tanis. However, before we jumped out of the galaxy, our sensors managed to do a quick scan of this Progenitor ship."

Kiir took a small device out of his pocket and connected it to an interface port on the floor. He pressed a button and the data streamed in. Karan closed her eyes and waved a hand, summoning a hologram projection of the data. When she opened her eyes once more, she gasped at the sight.

"… This ship… By Sajuuk, what is this?"

"I'm not sure myself, but it's a very dangerous weapon." Kiir explained as he showed Karan the true size of the vessel. Being thrice the size of the Foundry Ship, it was obvious that _Sajuuk_ would do nothing but scratch its surface.

"All we know is that this weapon is based on quantum energy manipulation. We didn't get enough data due to our hasty exit, but it seems that the thing works by focusing quantum energy into a single point." Kiir showed Karan a simulation of the energies all gathering at the forefront of the spear-like cannon at the front of the ship.

"I see. What would the estimated power of the weapon be?"

"I've run a few tests using various scenarios and variables. It all points to one thing – this ship has the power to shatter planets."

"Merciful Hiigara, so that is what the Progenitors are going to do."

"That's not all," Kiir continued, "Preliminary analysis of our data indicates that the actual ship is very much smaller, and that the huge structure is merely part of a secondary weapon. We believe that the ship may be just the holding structure of a much smaller craft."

Now the hologram turned to a wire frame image, darkening much of it except a certain section towards the front. The actual ship was just a _Sajuuk_-class vessel. Karan heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'm afraid, Karan, that the reduced size doesn't make it any easier to defeat." Kiir continued, "Unless our sensors are wrong, the main ship and its primary weapon are powered by an inertialess drive system. This will allow it to move as quickly as a destroyer."

"That will be bad indeed."

"Yes, but the worst thing is the primary weapon. It turns out that the focusing arrays act as some sort of amplifier for the secondary weapon, but a suppressor for the primary weapon. We're not very sure on this and will require additional data. All we can deduce about the primary weapon, is that it transcends the secondary one at least tenfold."

"In other words, we may be looking at a level of destruction that can rip stars apart." interjected Commander Hyll.

"I see. Your data has been most helpful, Kiir. Now I must ask you, Commander Hyll."

"I will try my best to answer your queries, Karan."

"Do you personally think that the Hiigaran Navy has the ability to stop the Progenitors?"

"Well…"

"I asked you for your opinion, commander. Do not be afraid to tell me the answer."

"Personally, I very much doubt it." Replied Hyll. "The Progenitors' strategies revolve around weakening the enemy with infection-based weaponry, then bringing their superior firepower to bear. That was how they… murdered… the Bentusi. If the Bentusi, with all their experience and technology, could not hold the Progenitors, I don't see how the Hiigaran Navy can do the impossible."

"Not even with the _Sajuuk_ and _Gatekeeper_?"

"Well, not even with them. We'd still be outgunned nonetheless. Unless we had the power of the Three Cores on every ship…"

"Hmm? Why would that change anything?"

"You'll have to ask Kiir, he came up with a new algorithm while we were away." Hyll directed Karan's attention back to the solemn-looking Kiir.

"Kiir, your contributions to Hiigaran space sciences has been most valuable. What did you come up with this time?" beamed Karan.

"Nothing much, just a modified version of the Sync Jump Algorithm to allow hyperspace-capable ships to use quantum wave distortions when in combined numbers. It is excellent for defending and attacking, but the only problem is the limited power of our current hyperspace technology."

"If so, Kiir, you will be delighted to see this." Karan spoke quickly before dissipating the hologram before them. The hologram reappeared moments later and began forming images of a Hyperspace Core, detailing its schematics and capabilities. Hyll stared in disbelief while Kiir gasped in astonishment.

"Kiir, Hyll, I show you the Grand Core. Credit must go to Captain Soban for finding this miraculous artefact. Not only does it far transcend the capabilities of the Three Cores, it also draws an immense amount of energy from hyperspace itself. This core can thus serve as a reactor and jump drive at the same time. I believe you will have no trouble refining your algorithm to suit this core, which will be installed in the _Legacy of Kharak_ mothership."

"Why, yes of course! I shall begin work immediately!" gushed Kiir. He was terribly excited by the existence of such a powerful Hyperspace Core. The possibilities of using such a device would be nearly infinite.

"Very well then. I'm afraid I must now ask Commander Hyll to leave this room. I wish to talk with Kiir in private.

Both Hyll and Kiir looked nervously at each other, before Hyll saluted and walked quickly out of the room. Now that they were alone, Karan decided to delve deeper.

"Kiir, I received a telepathic burst from you some time back."

"Huh? What do you mean, Karan?"

"I was in hyperspace transit en route to Balcora when your burst got through. It was only through this burst that I was able to track down your fleet and hyperspace it to safety. Now I must ask you, are you able to control this ability of yours?"

"Well…" Kiir replied nervously, "I'm not sure."

"Try, then, to speak with me without speaking."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, try to focus on getting your point across to me, without the use of speech."

"I… uh… how could I… should I…"

"Relax yourself, concentrate, visualise yourself bringing the message across."

Kiir Sjet nodded, then shut his eyes in intense concentration. He focused hard, but yielded nothing. He sighed and turned back to Karan.

"I'm afraid I can't do it."

"Never mind. You can't learn telepathy overnight. That is all then, I guess. You look like you really need some rest."

"I shall take my leave then, Karan."

With that, Kiir Sjet left the command room. It was then that Karan received vital information from the _Sajuuk_'s sensors. An Acolyte II fighter had launched from a carrier and was heading for the docking bays of the _Sajuuk_. Karan found this strange, for there had been no prearranged meeting after this.

"Bridge?"

"Yes, Karan?"

"There is an Acolyte II coming onboard. Kindly maximise security when you escort the pilot here."

"Why, of course. It shall be done immediately."

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Hangar bay:**

The Hiigaran marines approached the strike craft warily as it landed softly. They were not brandishing their weapons, but were fully ready to do so should the situation warrant it.

As the cockpit slid open, the marines ordered for the pilot to step out in accordance with all safety protocols. The pilot stepped out slowly, then vanished as he leapt high up into the air, much to the surprise of the marines.

In a flash, two of the five marines had been knocked out. The remaining three grabbed their weapons, only to have them swiped out of their hands by precise and swift kicks. The three marines went down quickly, but not before they activated the emergency beacon. Klaxons started going off across all decks as the pilot started running at a godly speed towards the nearest exit.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Command room:**

Karan was alarmed by the sudden change in events. She quickly activated all camera systems throughout the _Sajuuk_, focusing anything in range on the renegade soldier. As the image of the person came into focus, she sent the image to the archives of Hiigaran Fleet Command for queries. The results came back almost instantaneously – she had a match. The pilot was none other than the famous Saviour Luca Paktu.

She was puzzled by his behaviour, but wasted no time in initiating a lockdown across the ship. The doors in all the corridors began to slide shut slowly, but Luca still eluded them all with his unholy speed. He was surely running at least thrice as fast as the fastest of Hiigaran athletes. Finally, a door managed to catch him just in time, sealing him in a section of corridor.

What happened next took Karan entirely by surprise. Luca merely ran up to the console beside the door and placed his hand on it. The next moment, his hand swelled and the veins protruded as it appeared to release some crimson matter onto the console. One look at the crimson thing was all it took to send Karan into a state of horror. Within seconds, the circuits were subverted and the door whined open. Still, Luca continued to subvert system after system as the infection entity spread from the console, embedding itself deeply within any control systems it could reach.

By now, other marines had come running down with their weapons blazing. Luca ignored them and continued prying ever more deeply into the _Sajuuk_, in spite of the bullets piercing through his flesh. Suddenly, he took a bullet to the head and collapsed to the floor. Seeing her chance, Karan sent a power surge through the infected system, vaporising the infection entity within and knocking out remote controls across the entire deck.

The marines quickly surrounded him and were about to apprehend him when Luca's eyes sprang open. His hand shot out and grabbed the throat of a marine, who screamed like a stuck pig. The other marines fired their guns, only to have Luca use the poor soldier as a shield. The marine gurgled and died, and Luca threw the corpse at the shooting marines. The marines ducked and resumed firing, but Luca was no longer there.

The marines looked up and started firing again, but it was too late. A few quick moves sent the marines to their deaths. Now corpses lined the corridor. Breathing vigorously and bleeding heavily from gunshot wounds, Luca placed his hands on two of the corpses, absorbing organic matter. The bullets fell out of their wounds as his injuries started healing quickly. In a minute, he was good as new.

Karan knew that she was Luca's target, so she immediately called the Bridge for help. The Bridge responded by sending down another team of marines and a medic team to remove her from her cubicle. But as she watched the blips move through the ship, Karan knew that Luca would reach her first. She shut her eyes in anticipation of the inevitable when suddenly, the doors to her room slid open. Kiir Sjet and Hyll Naabal ran in, Hyll brandishing machine guns on both arms.

"Hyll, Kiir, what are you both doing here!"

"Don't worry Sajuuk-Khar, I'll protect you at all costs!" Hyll assured her.

"Karan," spoke Kiir, "You need to tell me how to extract you from the system. I have some basic knowledge in mind-machine interfaces, but I have utterly no experience with the _Sajuuk_'s Hiigaran interfacing."

"But, we don't have time for that! You both need to get out while you can…"

"Karan, if you die, Hiigara is finished. You are everything to all of Hiigara, and your death would result in dire consequences."

"Alright then… Kiir, go to the main console and… oh no, he's here!"

Sure enough, the doors slid open, revealing Luca Paktu beyond. Veins were popping out everywhere on his limbs and head, and his eyes were staring at Karan coldly. Hyll opened fire, only to have Luca dodge his shots calmly. Within moments, Hyll had both his weapons taken from him forcefully and he was forced to the floor by Luca's unholy strength. He was about to have his neck snapped in two when Kiir gave a roar and threw himself at the wild Luca. Both men rolled off in a frenetic struggle, but Kiir was quickly thrown off by Luca's superior hand-to-hand combat skills.

Karan watched as Hyll tried to hold Luca back, but it was in vain. Hyll was thrown against the wall and knocked out cold. Luca started walking slowly towards Karan, who stared back at him with all the courage she could muster as the Sajuuk-Khar.

Suddenly, Luca stopped walking. He tried to move further, but seemed to be halted by some sort of invisible barrier. Karan glanced to the side and saw Kiir on the floor. He was reaching out to Luca with his right hand, his eyes closed in fierce concentration. Beads of sweat were rolling down his face as Kiir struggled to disrupt the signals that were being fired by Luca's neurons.

Luca yelled in annoyance and exploded from Kiir's control. Now he lunged towards Kiir, who was struggling to his feet. Upon seeing Luca moving towards him, his hands aimed for his throat, Kiir flung out both his hands in a bid to defend himself. What he didn't expect was that Luca suddenly bounced off an invisible barrier and rolled to the floor. Kiir stared in shock, but quickly moved to put himself between Luca and Karan.

Luca got up and pounced at Kiir once again, only to have Kiir block him using the same method he had employed before. Karan watched in astonishment, surely telekinesis wasn't one of Kiir's abilities too? He was disproving every theory Karan had studied on the subject. However, Kiir was starting to feel the strain of maintaining the telekinetic barrier. Each body slam by Luca only served to drain him both physically and mentally. Just when Kiir was about to faint from exhaustion, the marines arrived and started pumping bullets into Luca.

The infected pilot roared in pain and Kiir saw his chance. He summoned up all his remaining mental energies and sent a powerful telekinetic blast at Luca, sending the pilot flying out through the door. The marines ducked to avoid Luca and turned to start firing relentlessly. Hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, Luca quickly retreated, disappearing into the darkness of the corridors beyond.

As the medics rushed into the room, Kiir Sjet slumped to the floor exhausted, his vision fading. He heard Karan calling out to him before the darkness claimed him.

The Acolyte II fighter soared out of the _Sajuuk_'s hangar bay with other squadrons in hot pursuit. To throw them off, the fleeing fighter pumped a few pulse cannon shots into the nearby _Second Scaffold_. A steel beam gave way and blocked the path of the pursuers, who banked away quickly to avoid collisions.

When the pursuers got their sights on the Acolyte II once more, they did so just in time to see it miraculously enter hyperspace. Apparently when Luca had infected the _Sajuuk_ momentarily, he had left behind an infected program to activate the Three Cores and ensure his guaranteed escape.

The jump window closed behind the strike craft as it was whisked to an indeterminate location.


	14. Exodus

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 13: EXODUS

* * *

**

_Once more, the Exiles shall face the coming darkness._

_- Bentusi Prophecy

* * *

_

**High orbit over Hiigara:**

As the cryo ships containing two million lucky individuals entered high orbit, carriers and frigates swarmed all over them to keep them safe, escorting the convoy to the _Second Scaffold_. The _Legacy of Kharak_ was still docked with the massive structure, but now that the Mothership Door was half complete, she was ready to relaunch.

Upon realizing that the new cryo technologies allowed an incredibly space efficient arrangement, Karan had made new plans to take advantage of this. The two million colonists would be stored onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, since it still possessed the original cryogenic subsections built in Kharakian orbit. The _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_ would be used primarily for resourcing, since their harvesting systems were the most efficient in the Hiigaran Navy.

The _Legacy of Kharak_, primarily a colonist vessel, would be defended with the fleet led by the _Pride of Hiigara_, which would oversee all the operations of the Exodus Fleet in place of the _Legacy_. As for the Somtaaw mining fleets, the _Paaura_ would be in charge of their security, as well as serve as a forward offensive flagship for the Hiigaran Navy.

The rest of Hiigara, regretfully, would have to live it out in the various shelters found throughout the planet, covered by the rest of the Hiigaran Navy. Karan was not confident that the Six Fleets could protect Hiigara from the combined Vaygr assault, but she hoped for the best nonetheless. To deal with the Progenitors, she would have no choice but to undertake an extremely risky plan.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

"What? Karan, you have to be kidding me."

"If I don't do this, then there will be no way for us to escape the Progenitor attack."

"But if anything happens to you…"

"Remember that the ability to far jump is an exclusive right of the _Sajuuk_, and your mothership."

"Far jump? Karan, there's no way this mothership can far jump on this hyperspace module…"

"Yuno, what I mean to say is that I have given orders for the Grand Core to be installed in the _Legacy of Kharak_. I believed it wise to equip the main colony ship with this powerful Core so that it could move on in case our plans go awry."

"The Grand Core? That is just amazing… But still, using the _Sajuuk_ as bait is pure madness!"

"The Progenitors are after this ship and the Three Cores. If I send the _Sajuuk_ away, I will buy Hiigara some time for it to handle the Vaygr invasion. When the Vaygr are repelled, we can then mount a coordinated attack to stop the Progenitors, if we can."

"If so, how will you remotely control the _Pride_?"

"You see, remote control was never the proper option. I will still oversee the operations on the _Pride_ so long as I remain in control range, but the limit is somewhere in the region of a hundred light years. When I get too far, it will be up to you to find a way."

"But, how? There is no way for me to control two motherships, I lack your skills…"

"No one, not even me, has the power to control and process data from two motherships simultaneously. What you need to do is to find a suitable candidate to head the _Pride of Hiigara_."

"A suitable candidate?"

"Yes, one who is well trained and versed in this field of study. I regret I can't give you more details, in the light of the recent _Sajuuk_ incident…"

"Oh, don't worry about it Karan. All that matters is that you're safe. I won't let Hiigara down."

"May the gods of Kharak bless you, Yuno. Karan out."

As Yuno ended the conversation, Admiral Eefrit stepped onto the bridge. The officers all stood up and saluted smartly to welcome his return. Eefrit returned the salute and turned to Yuno's hologram.

"So, what's the new plan now?"

"Scaffold Control reports that the Mothership Door is fifty percent complete. We can complete the rest of the restoration ourselves, so I shall initiate launch procedures to free up docking space for the _Pride of Hiigara_."

"Very well then. All crews, stand by for launch!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, docked with the _Second Scaffold_:**

"And that's about it. We shall take our leave now."

"Very well then, I won't see you out."

Captain Soban saluted as the scientists and engineers returned to the _Second Scaffold_. At last, they were done with their scientific business on the _Gatekeeper_. This time, he was actually grateful for their work.

At long last, the tech teams had found the Progenitor systems responsible for the phase out sequence. After many repairs to the various circuitry and conduits in the system, they believed the phasing systems to be finally working at last. Now the only thing left was to test it and see what it did to the Dreadnaught and the crews onboard.

Soban toyed around with the idea of phasing out while remaining docked with the _Second Scaffold_, but dismissed it quickly. They still had no idea how to return from phase, and anyway that would cause a massive airlock breach in the _Second Scaffold_. Not a nice thing to do.

The _Gatekeeper_ and _Second Scaffold_ vibrated slightly as the _Legacy of Kharak_ left the docks. The repaired mothership now moved free of the massive structure in space into the welcoming hands of the waiting cryo ship fleet. The colonist transfer was started as the ships began docking with the _Legacy_ one by one.

Meanwhile, Karan took remote control of the _Pride of Hiigara_ and moved it in to dock with the _Second Scaffold_ for refit and repair. The Dreadnaught and scaffolding shuddered slightly as the release crews activated the grapplers to grab the incoming mothership. Within seconds, the _Pride of Hiigara_ had come to a complete stop. Repairs and retrofitting could begin now.

"Captain, release crews report that they are ready to handle our launch."

"Roger that. Ask them to release the grapplers. Helm, stand by to engage main drives."

With a loud clang, the grapplers detached from the hull of the Dreadnaught, causing the ship to drift away into space. Moments later, the great drive of the _Gatekeeper_ roared into life and sent the ship moving away from the _Second Scaffold_.

"We are away, captain."

"Got it. Move into low orbit, we're going to visit Captain Elohim while we still can."

Captain Soban looked at the chrono piece on his hand. They only had forty hours left before the Progenitors came. Would they be able to load all the colonists and complete the _Pride_'s repairs in time?

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Karan Sjet watched from her command cubicle via a camera as the medics and doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with Kiir. Kiir Sjet was lying on the bed, eyes closed and barely breathing. Tubes trailed from his eyes and mouth and electrodes were attached to his limbs, chest and head.

"Doctor, what is wrong with Kiir?"

"Well, it's difficult to say, Sajuuk-Khar. What we're looking at is something similar to what happens in a severe concussion – little or no neuron activity throughout his central nervous system. Yet we can detect no physical damage in his cellular structure."

"How long will it take for him to awaken?"

"From a deep coma like this? There's no way to tell. It could be anytime between twelve hours and twelve years."

"I see. Notify me immediately if the situation changes. Meanwhile, in the light of the _Sajuuk_'s coming mission, I think it would be best if you could move Kiir to the _Legacy of Kharak_ instead."

"Very well then, we shall carry out your orders promptly. Infirmary out."

Karan closed her eyes and focused on the ship's sensors. They were getting closer, perhaps as close as the Shining Hinterlands already…

* * *

**Coruc-Tel System:**

The infected frigates drifted aimlessly away from where the inhibitor station had been. All of unknown design and configuration, they now moved into formation as they prepared to make a hyperspace jump.

Just then, a micro hyperspace window opened up and slid silently to reveal the chassis of an Acolyte II fighter. No sooner had the strike craft returned completely to normal space did it start moving towards the fleet of infected frigates.

The frigates did not fire on the fighter, sensing that it was being controlled by one of their own. Instead, they parted to create a path for the fighter to glide through. Suddenly, the Acolyte II halted with a quick burst of thruster power.

The frigates opened up their communications channels as the fighter started beaming data to the fleet. Several seconds later, it was done. With the Sync Jump Algorithm in their databanks, the frigates synchronized their hyperdrives to pull the fighter and themselves into hyperspace.

* * *

**Eastern Outer Rim:**

The sensor outpost drifted on its preset course through space, continuously taking readings and measurements of the energy levels of its surroundings. Except for the hyperspace trajectories of the Vaygr fleet retreating from Hiigara, it had picked up nothing else in these few days.

As if to answer the outpost's desire for something to happen, multiple ships began emerging from hyperspace. The outpost quickly focused all its sensors on the exiting ships, and promptly sent an emergency distress signal to Hiigara.

Moments later, the outpost was vaporized by the combined firepower of the Vaygr's Seven Crusades.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

"Alright Yuno. The engineers are done with installing the Grand Core."

"Got it, communicating with the Grand Core for the first time…"

Yuno vanished from her bridge hologram and started racing through the circuits of the _Legacy_ towards the Grand Core. She soon arrived at the gateway between the Mothership's electronics and the Progenitor's hardware. Taking a deep breath in cyberspace, she crossed over to the Grand Core.

What lay beyond was simply astounding. Streams of data flooded past her, each of them detailing the projected jump ranges and power outputs of the Grand Core. She was astonished when she accessed one of the data streams, revealing a successful experiment in which the Grand Core jumped the testing fleet across an entire galactic cluster.

It was then that she came across a locked box of data deep within the databanks of the Grand Core. She tried to access the box, but the encryption proved too complex. Unsure of what to do with it, Yuno decided to haul it into the Mothership's databanks for further analysis.

When Yuno returned to her bridge hologram, only three seconds had passed since her departure.

"Found lots of data regarding the capabilities of the Grand Core. It turns out that jumping from one end of the Galaxy to the other is nothing for this artefact to accomplish."

"I would have guessed as much. What did it say the maximum range was?"

"I didn't quite figure that one out, but one of its test jumps managed to cross the local galactic cluster without a hitch."

"Wow. Sounds good. What else did you find?"

"There was also this locked section of data that is protected by a very secure form of encryption. I copied it to the Mothership's databanks to ease our analysis of it. I will contact Karan about this data immediately."

"Oh well. By the way, it looks like we'll be loading the colonists completely ahead of schedule."

"That's good to hear. Opening a channel with Karan Sjet now…"

Yuno went silent as she activated the _Legacy_'s communications systems and requested a link to Karan. Moments later, Karan established the connection.

"This is Karan. What is it, Yuno?"

"Sorry to bother you yet again, but I just undertook an exploration of the Grand Core's databanks."

"I see. I was about to ask you to do that anyway… so what did you find?"

"The technical details are unimportant. However, I would like to request free access to the _Sajuuk_'s databanks."

"Why so?"

"I found a heavily encrypted piece of data, and I hope to unlock it quickly. Hopefully, _Sajuuk_ will hold the key just like it did to the _Eye of Aaraan_."

"Very well then. However, we're running on a tight schedule here. Would five minutes be sufficient?"

"More than adequate, Karan. Thanks a lot!"

Yuno was quick to make the jump from the Mothership to the sacred databanks of the _Sajuuk_ itself. Within the _Sajuuk_ held data streams and answers to some of the most ancient questions of the Galaxy's civilisations, but she resisted the temptation and focused on the matter at hand. Surprisingly, she found a match! Wasting no time, she loaded the necessary data back into the Mothership and the locked data revealed its secrets without hesitation.

Unfortunately, most of the data was corrupted and damaged. Yuno returned to her bridge hologram and sighed.

"So, did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes I did, Karan. There's still work to be done, though. The data is all corrupted."

"I see. Try to decode it, it may be of significance. But I must remind you to keep your priorities on the matters at hand."

"Why, of course. Yuno out."

After closing the connection, Yuno returned her attention to managing matters on the _Legacy_. She did so just in time, for there was a shuttle moving in to dock with the Mothership. It carried the comatose body of Kiir Sjet. Quickly, Yuno assigned several crews to the hangar bays to facilitate the transfer of Kiir to the infirmary.

* * *

Kiir Sjet was trapped in a nightmare he could not escape from. He was flying freely through the cosmos, watching the events of history unfold before him. He watched the bombing of Hiigara as the Taiidani vanquished the remnants of the Kushan empire, sending the survivors to exile. He saw Kharak burn under the merciless assault of the Taiidani frontier fleet. He saw Tanis base being destroyed by the Vaygr strike force.

He was about to be pushed beyond his emotional and psychological thresholds when suddenly, everything went black. Now Hiigara faded into view, and he saw the great fleets of the Hiigaran Navy before him. The _Pride of Hiigara_ was docked with the _Second Scaffold_, while the _Legacy of Kharak_ was loading her important cargo of colonists. Overhead, the Six Fleets, _Paaura_, _Kuun Lan_, _Faal Corum_ and the great _Sajuuk_ watched over the motherships.

Now he seemed to zoom out as Hiigara shrank with distance. He raced through the Hiigaran System, passing other planets, asteroids and occasional dust clouds. Now he was at the Bridge of Sighs on the outskirts of the Hiigaran System. Here, he saw the Progenitors, Kadeshi, infected Bentusi, all racing through hyperspace to the one place he called home.

He screamed to let Karan know, but no words came out of his mouth. He was all alone in this endless void.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Karan awoke from her ship diagnostics abruptly, alarming the biotech crews that surrounded her cubicle.

"Sajuuk Khar, is anything the matter?"

"I am fine. Please prepare for all emergency procedures – The Progenitors are here!"

The Hiigaran fleet leapt into action as the combat vessels all moved to the battlefront. Any time now, the Progenitors would be exiting hyperspace with their Kadeshi and infected minions.

Yuno had asked the cryo ships and their crews to load the colonists more quickly. Only two more ships were left in the line, and the rest of the colonists were already sleeping in the cryogenic subsystems onboard the Mothership.

Meanwhile, the repair crews stepped into high gear to complete the last bits of construction on the _Pride of Hiigara_'s Mothership Door. Within the _Pride_ itself, engineers now raced to complete the last adjustments to her essential systems. Already, the rest of the _Second Scaffold_'s crew were being evacuated to bomb shelters on Hiigara.

As the last bolt fell into place, purple indicators popped up on the sensors screens of every ship in the fleet.

All of Hiigara watched tensely as the invaders warped into normal space. Nothing could have prepared the people from seeing the colossal _Oblivion_ emerge from hyperspace. Dwarfing even the Foundry Ship, it made the gathered Hiigaran Navy look puny relative to it.

Leading the Hiigaran formation was the great _Sajuuk_ itself. Its prowess uncanny, it too seemed inferior to the military might they were facing up against. Would the Great Maker be able to avert this calamity?

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

The battleship was now at maximum alert. Crews were running to their battlestations in preparation for the coming engagement. The ship's intercoms buzzed busily as the last bits of Karan's plan fell into place.

Karan, meanwhile, was making the final adjustments to both the _Sajuuk_ and the _Pride of Hiigara_ via remote control. This would be an incredible feat, even for her, to control two mothership-class vessels until a suitable Unbound person could be found to head the _Pride_. She maximised her mental defences, and began transmitting to the enemy fleet.

"This is Karan Sjet, and I speak on behalf of the Hiigaran people and the worlds of the Galactic Rim. We have been duly informed of your… quest to acquire the Three Cores. As the Sajuuk Khar and Custodian of the Three, I must say that I cannot grant you your request."

There was a silence on the frequencies, before a deep sinister voice reminiscent of Makaan responded.

"So you are the astonishing Karan was has braved the attacks of our psychics and lived to tell the tale. Allow me to introduce myself. I represent the Progenitor faction that fell so many millennia ago. It pains me to see someone as great as you promoting naïve ideals such as peace."

"This Galaxy has been at war for ages, and it was only through these Cores that we were able to finally stop the fighting and unite the Rim Worlds in harmony. We have come a long way to accomplish this, and so we cannot give you the Cores."

"If that is all that you desire, then let us take the Cores by force and let your pitiful souls rest in eternal peace."

"I guessed as much that would happen. Technologically and numerically, we are no match for you. But the _Sajuuk_ is, and you will have to capture us to claim your prize!"

With that, the core containment section of the _Sajuuk_ lit up in a brilliant yellow as the ship powered up to make an emergency hyperspace jump. The Progenitors and Kadeshi quickly brought their inhibitors to bear on the legendary ship, but what could stop a ship with the power to jump through galactic cores? The yellow hyperspace window sprang open and consumed the vessel, leaving nothing it its wake.

The voice scowled and mumbled an order. Within moments, the Progenitors disappeared from realspace into hyperspace, leaving behind a few battlecruisers, the Kadeshi and the infected ships. The infected Bentusi tradeships launched their Super Acolytes to support the Kadeshi Advanced Swarmers. The strike craft closed in on the Hiigaran Fleet, which now gathered into a defensive sphere.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

Commander Hyll saw the invasion coming and leapt into action as the acting leader of the Hiigaran Navy.

"Commander Hyll to all ships in the Six Fleets, repel the attackers immediately! Concentrate all fire on the Progenitor battlecruisers and don't let them get near the motherships! We need to buy them some time!"

The fleet responded with a flurry of firepower, cutting into the advancing ships with devastating force. Upon seeing their Bentusi and Kadeshi comrades getting slaughtered in the shower, the battlecruisers calmly activated their shields and pummelled through at high speed, phased cannon turrets blazing.

Hyll saw the phased cannon beams tear into the frigate screens, ripping through the Hiigaran ships in a matter of moments. The beams were nowhere near as powerful as those from the Phased Cannon Array, but they surely beat ion cannons hands down.

"Damn those turrets. Sensors, do we have a lock on their shield frequencies?"

"No way to track them, their shield frequencies are shifting randomly, we can't get a lock!"

"Then we'll have to do it the old fashioned way then. All ships in range, focus fire on the nearest Progenitor battlecruiser!"

The Hiigaran battlecruisers swept in and let loose their ion beams on the incoming Progenitor ship. The blue beams were absorbed silently by the orange energy shields, as was the firepower of the other Hiigaran ships. Frigate after frigate fell, and a destroyer blew up under the assault of three Kadeshi multibeam frigates. While the Kadeshi were taking heavy losses, the five battlecruisers were still wholly intact.

As the primary frigate screen became debris, the secondary screen moved in to provide cover. Hyll knew that the outcome was decided.

"Get a message through to the _Second Scaffold_ and the _Legacy of Kharak_. The fleet needs to go now!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

"This is Yuno of the Mothership."

"Yuno, this is Hyll. You need to get the colonists out of here immediately. The Progenitors are showing no sign of letting up, so there's no way we can hold them indefinitely!"

"But we can't jump as long as those Kadeshi inhibitors are up. If we were to use the Grand Core now we would alert the Progenitors to its existence!"

"I've dispatched bombers to disable the needleship inhibitors temporarily. It should give you a ten minute jump window. I trust that will be sufficient?"

"More than enough. We'll jump on standard hyperdrives the moment the fields go down."

"That's all I guess. We'll defend Hiigara with our lives. May Sajuuk protect you."

"And you too. Yuno out."

Yuno quickly set to work, ordering Scaffold Control to launch the _Pride of Hiigara_ immediately. Seconds later, the _Second Scaffold_ grapplers released their mechanical hold on the mothership. Instantly, the automatic drive algorithm took over, and the mothership moved free of the _Second Scaffold_.

Now the _Pride of Hiigara_, _Paaura_, _Kuun Lan_, _Faal Corum_ and their escort fleets moved into formation around the _Legacy of Kharak_. The gathered Exodus Fleet stood by for the inhibitor fields to deactivate. Meanwhile, the bombers swept through the Kadeshi formation, laying waste to any inhibitor generator in sight. They were about to descend on the final needleship when squadrons of swarmers soared in suddenly, forcing the pilots to disengage.

"Yuno, the bomber attack failed – the last inhibitor is still standing! From the looks of it, the Six Fleets aren't going to hold the battlecruisers back any longer!" Eefrit was now trying to push her to use their trump card.

"But we can't take the risk of jumping with the Grand Core!"

As if on cue, a bright yellow lance of light leapt through space, impaling the needleship and sending it to hell. Yuno tracked the source of the beam and saw the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ moving in from behind the _Second Scaffold_.

"Looks like we came just in time."

"Captain Soban! Where were you?"

"Yeah, you sure took your time!" Eefrit complained.

"We just dropped by the _Shipyard Naabal_ for a quick call on Elohim. He transferred some of the shipyard's engineers over to lend their expertise. It seems that the Six Fleets could use the additional firepower."

"No doubt about it, but take care not to put the Dreadnaught through too much. We need your ship's assistance for the Exodus."

"Just take care, old friend."

"Don't worry bout us. Soban out."

Eefrit and Yuno watched as the _Gatekeeper_ moved in to join the main battle.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

"Captain, the battlecruisers have spotted us. They are breaking off their attack and are moving to engage us!"

"I see. Engineering, shields at maximum. Weapons control, begin charging the Phased Cannon Array. All crews, full combat alert!"

The _Gatekeeper_ turned to bring its cannon to bear on the approaching battlecruiser. The Hiigaran Navy was still firing on the ship, but it seemed to have little effect on the vessel's shields. The Dreadnaught shuddered as the Progenitor ship opened fire with its phased cannon turrets.

"Damage report!" Soban yelled as the lights on the bridge flickered slightly.

"This is Engineering, shields at seventy percent and falling fast. We need to deal with them quickly!"

"Alright, fire the cannon when ready!"

With that, the _Gatekeeper_ fired its main cannon. The shields of the battlecruiser resisted the Phased Cannon Array for a full second before they gave and surrendered the chassis to the yellow beams. The battlecruiser erupted in a ball of light.

But the battle was still not over. The other four battlecruisers had come within range of the Dreadnaught, letting loose their turrets on the _Gatekeeper_. The ship shuddered violently and the lights went out. Moments later, auxiliary power kicked in, bathing the bridge in a dim orange glow.

"Are we okay?"

"That last salvo took our shields out. Shield generation's down, and we have moderate outer hull damage across all sections."

"Those phased cannon turrets really are something… We've had enough for now, activate Phasing sequence!"

"But it's completely untested…"

"If we don't phase out now there'll be nothing left of us to phase with!"

"… Very well. Activating phasing systems now!"

The battlecruisers powered up their turrets and fired their second salvo. Just before the beams hit the _Gatekeeper_, the Dreadnaught vanished in a flash of yellow light.

* * *

**Onboard the _Exile:_**

When Commander Hyll saw the _Gatekeeper_ phase out, he knew what he must do.

"All ships, run Quantum Distortion Algorithms now! Focus all distortion fields on the battlecruisers now that they're distracted!"

In response, all the ships in the Six Fleets lent power from their hyperdrives to generate localised quantum waveform distortions around the four battlecruisers. The ships were instantly frozen in space, their shields straining against the disruption of space time. Now the Hiigaran Navy retuned their weapons to the exact frequency of the quantum distortion, and fired.

The Progenitor shields, however mighty they were, crumpled under the additional stress of firepower. As the battlecruisers began taking direct damage, they tried to retaliate by firing their weapons. However, the distortion fields disrupted the course of their beams, which fired into empty space.

As the battlecruisers took increasing amounts of damage from the Hiigaran Navy, the _Gatekeeper_ emerged from hyperspace some distance behind the gathered Exodus Fleet. It was smouldering from a few areas, but was thankfully spared from severe damage. Hyll was relieved at the sight.

"Commander Hyll to Yuno of the Mothership, we've got the situation under control now. Recommend you take this chance to jump while the Kadeshi are still repairing their inhibitors!"

"Very well then, Commander. We are powering up hyperdrives in preparation for a synchronised jump to the Karos Graveyard. We shall far jump with the Grand Core from there. Hopefully, the debris fields will hide the energy signature of the Grand Core."

"Excellent. On behalf of all Hiigara, I now bid you farewell."

"Till we meet again, Hyll. Yuno out."

Commander Hyll watched silently as the Exodus Fleet entered hyperspace along with the Dreadnaught. The fate of Hiigara now lay in his hands.


	15. Secrets

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 14: SECRETS

* * *

**

_Since their first entry during the Homeworld Wars, the Hiigarans have made countless more quests into the ship graveyard at Karos. Many science ships have since been dispatched there to unlock its mysteries, but nothing valuable was found._

_It was only during the Vaygr Wars that the Karos Graveyard was discovered to be a realm of Progenitor origins. Having been pulled there by the influence of the Oracle, the _Pride of Hiigara_ found herself surrounded by hostile Movers. Karan's journey went one step further, nearly encountering destruction at the hands of the merciless Keeper. But the prize they got was a priceless one. An intact Progenitor Dreadnaught was discovered, and it remains in service to the Hiigaran Navy till today._

_And yet, it is quite obvious that the Hiigarans have done little more than to encounter the tip of a very large iceberg. Many more light years of the graveyard remain uncharted and unexplored due to the various hyperspatial anomalies in the area._

_Perhaps some secrets are best left hidden.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, hyperspace transit:**

Captain Soban watched the blue streams of hyperspace streak past his ship. If everything went well, this would be his first trip into the mysterious Karos Graveyard.

He had heard many stories about this unexplored place, like the Mothership's first encounter with the Junkyard Dog on her epic homecoming journey. Research had later determined the Junkyard Dog to be of Progenitor origins, and that many more existed in isolated pockets throughout the graveyard.

There were also spooky tales of the mysterious disappearance of several science ships over the years, only to have them turn up empty at the outskirts of the graveyard, the fates of their crews unknown. Soban shuddered at the thought and forced himself not to dwell too much on possible supernatural theories.

He looked at his crew, who were still busy going about their tasks on the bridge. However, there was a slight sadness in the atmosphere. Everyone was still very much affected by the departure from Hiigara. Soban wasn't surprised, for he too was worried about Hiigara's fate at the coming Vaygr attack.

The computer console brought him back to reality with its beeping. Soban took a deep breath and returned to his chair.

"Alright, everyone prepare for hyperspace exit at Karos."

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Karos Graveyard:**

"Synchronised hyperspace jump successful, we have arrived at the Karos Graveyard."

"Looks like we've made it, Yuno. Congratulations."

"Yes, Eefrit. But Hiigara…"

"… I think you can count on Hyll to protect Hiigara, even if it's against the full force of the Seven Crusades. For now, we need to worry about the task at hand. We should start resourcing operations immediately to prepare for the long journey ahead."

"Why of course. Dispatching resource collectors now."

The Exodus Fleet responded by launching swarms of the tiny resource collectors, which descended on every asteroid in range, digging out piles of valuable minerals and material. The _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_ remained motionless as they scanned the immediate vicinity for other resource locations. Upon completion of their scans, the Somtaaw mining fleets made a micro jump to another region about nine thousand kilometres from the main fleet.

"I am worried, Eefrit."

"About what?"

"The _Pride of Hiigara_ is still running on automatic. That is to say, Karan has yet to exercise remote control since her hyperspace escape."

"She's probably busy. Having an entire Progenitor assault fleet on your tail will take quite a bit of your attention. Unless…"

"… The _Sajuuk_ has jumped beyond the maximum transmission range?"

"Let's face it, Yuno." Eefrit walked over to the hologram and looked into her glowing eyes. "Karan's having enough trouble as it is. We'll just have to find another way to control the _Pride of Hiigara_."

"You know you're asking me to do the impossible."

"But we can help lighten the load. Artificial Intelligence has come a long way since the first Mothership, and you could delegate some tasks to the AI software we have in both motherships."

"Agreed, but it is still a formidable task…"

"Yuno, you are capable of many things, perhaps even more things than Karan herself. You are special, for you are not bound by a physical body like all of us. You are completely free of such chains, as you exist solely in virtual space. This opens up many possibilities that other Unbound can only dream of."

"I was not here by choice you know. But since you said so, I will try my best. No harm doing so, I'm sure."

Yuno gave a sigh and promptly vanished from her holographic projector. Eefrit turned back to the watching crews of the bridge.

"What are you waiting for, let's get to work!"

Yuno was standing before the corrupted data. She stared at its complexity and shook her head. Repairing such corruption was going to take much time and processing power. With a wave of her hand, she summoned up the best of Hiigaran utility software, and they began analysing and repairing the decrypted data.

She was about to leave the databanks when suddenly, an isolated strand was repaired and popped free of the corrupted mess. She turned around in surprise, for she didn't expect results this soon. Yuno read the data in moments, and was left with another mystery.

_Sajuuk_,_ Qwaar Jet_,_ Koshiir Ra_

That was all there was to it. The rest of the data was corrupted beyond repair. Puzzled, Yuno thought of investigating further, but stopped short when she remembered her priorities. Sighing, she dropped the data into a directory and disappeared from the databanks.

Yuno's virtual self reappeared moments later in the communications network. She rarely ever came here, since the entire network was managed automatically by innate AI programming. All she had to do was send a command to this network, and the AI did the rest. Yuno was bewildered by the loads of data being shunted through the network. Blips of light were rushing at breakneck speeds in every direction and as far as she could see.

Yuno took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Karos Graveyard:**

The officer woke up with a start when the computers came to life. He stared in shock as the automatic systems went offline, and algorithms deactivated themselves. Alarmed, he yelled to his equally dumbfounded colleagues.

"The computer systems have just come alive! What's going on here!"

"We're registering algorithm shutdowns in all operating systems, all automatic controls going offline!"

"There's no signal from _Sajuuk_, it's not Karan!"

"Are we being hacked into?"

"Do not be unduly worried. It's just me."

Now all the computer screens flickered as Yuno's virtual face shifted into focus. The bridge holographic projector lit up, and Yuno materialised into her full body hologram. The officers could only stare in awe.

"Wow. Is that really you, Yuno?"

"Who else could it be?" she replied, giving a wide smile.

* * *

**Onboard the _Oblivion_, hyperspace transit:**

"My lord, I fear that there is no way for us to catch the _Sajuuk_."

"And why would that be so?" asked the robed figure coldly.

"The power of the Three Cores has clearly given it the advantage. It is moving with a hyperspace transition speed that is many times greater than our own. We are losing distance quickly."

"Then we will track it with our long range sensors, and continue our pursuit nonetheless. The _Sajuuk_ may be capable of far jumping, but I doubt if it has the energy reserves to keep jumping indefinitely."

"There is also another problem, this time regarding our experimental viral project. It appears that the pilot at hand has been infected successfully and is well under the virus' control. However, we have lost contact with him since the failed attempt."

"I see. How did Karan Sjet survive?"

"From the transmissions we have acquired, it would seem that he was thwarted by a certain Hiigaran with the powers of telepathy and telekinesis. It would comfort you to know that the subject is in a deep coma right now."

"Coma or not, so long as he exists he will return to thwart us another day. We must find him and eliminate him before he masters his abilities. Where is he?"

"Intelligence points to two possible locations – the _Sajuuk_ itself or their _Legacy of Kharak_ mothership. Our sensors indicate that they managed to escape to the Karos Graveyard. Unfortunately, interference of the debris there has lost us the signal."

"Karos? That was a foul event. Our ancestors were brutally defeated at the hands of the Elders in that place. I would think it wise to dispatch some of our forces to finish the Hiigarans hiding there."

"I'm afraid that would be a risky affair. We have just received word that the battlecruisers at Hiigara have been destroyed, and the Kadeshi have been forced to retreat. They report that a certain ship was at their disposal, and that ship is currently escorting the _Legacy_."

"It must be the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_. These Hiigarans are indeed something, to be able to use not one but two of the Elders' craft. This is more reason to nip the problem in the bud. What are our reserves in the nebula as of now?"

"The shipyards report the construction of eleven Keepers with infection ability, seven battlecruisers and twelve heavy cruisers. The Keepers are also armed with their full complement of assault drones."

"Then send the whole lot to Karos. Make sure nothing survives."

"At once, my lord."

* * *

**Kadiir Nebula:**

The imperial forces were fighting valiantly to defend their base against the plague, but it was in vain. Of the fifteen attacking frigates, only three had been destroyed despite the firepower they were throwing at them. This was due in part to the fact that the frigates were emitting some sort of protective shield. Though nowhere near the power of the shields that defended Progenitor vessels, it was definitely enough to let the frigates take the upper hand against the Imperials, who even had a battlecruiser with them.

The frigates moved in closer, their modified ion beam turrets slicing into the defenders. Still, the Imperials stubbornly refused to retreat, and continued firing back despite taking heavy losses. Now only two heavy destroyers, one battlecruiser and several frigates remained to defend the station.

The Imperial battlecruiser fired its energy burst cannon again, taking down another frigate and crippling two others. The frigates responded by burning into the battlecruiser with their ion beams, leaving ugly scorches across its hull. But the frigates didn't seem intent on killing their victim. Instead, one of them moved at full burn and smashed into the side of the battlecruiser.

Screams filled the frequencies as the virus moved swiftly to subvert the battlecruiser and its crew. The death of another two frigates brought with it the infection of the two heavy destroyers. The remaining Imperial frigates turned to flee as the subverted capital ships began firing on them.

Minutes later, it was over. All surviving ships were either subverted or destroyed, with the station being successfully infected. As the smoke cleared, the uninfected Acolyte II fighter swept in to dock with the infected Imperial base.

The pilot that was once Luca Paktu stepped calmly out of his strike craft, which remained untouched by the infection organism.

As of now, he would do things his way.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Tenhauser Gate:**

They had only emerged from hyperspace seconds ago, but Karan was already thinking of their next destination. She mentally sent a query to the _Sajuuk_'s control core, and it came back with an energy reserve reading of ninety percent. They still had the power to jump nine more times consecutively without stopping to recharge.

After scanning the star charts, Karan quickly inputted the coordinates for the Northern Fringe. They would go north now, and lead the Progenitors as far away from Hiigara as possible. As the ship slipped into hyperspace once more, Karan closed her eyes to communicate with the _Pride of Hiigara_. Upon seeing that it was well under the control of Yuno, she smiled and broke the connection.

"_Sajuuk_, take us far away…" she mumbled.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Karos Graveyard:**

"Why are you suddenly giving me a test on religious knowledge?" Eefrit was perplexed by Yuno's seemingly irrelevant questions, "What has religion got to do with what we're doing now?"

"Let's just say I have this sudden interest in religious theories."

"You're weird to just ask about these things out of the blue. You sure it isn't in the Mothership Archives?"

"Nothing beats getting the info from a real live religious person."

"Oh come on, you know that I took Religious Studies only because I couldn't take anything else other than Military Strategy… Alright then, I won't elaborate on Sajuuk since that one is pretty well known. Qwaar Jet was the God of Pain and Enslavement back in the days of ancient Kharak."

"I see, and what about Koshiir Ra?"

"If I remember correctly, Koshiir Ra is the Taiidani God of Protection, which is also an apt name for their defence fighter. You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"No I'm not, I'm just refreshing my own knowledge…"

"Quit giving me that crap. I'm pretty sure this has something to do with that data you got from the Grand Core, am I right?"

Yuno didn't answer, but Eefrit continued to stare into her hologram eyes until she relented.

"There's no hiding anything from you, Eefrit. Yes, this has got to do with the Grand Core data."

"What about the data?" Eefrit was now keen to learn more.

"So far, I managed to repair a little bit of it. All I got were the three names."

"Sajuuk, Qwaar Jet and Koshiir Ra?"

"Yes, I'm sure you know what the implications could be, given that Sajuuk is the name of a battleship?"

"Wait… now why would the Progenitors build three ships like _Sajuuk_ if they only had three Cores to power one ship?"

"I have no idea myself. But the possibility remains that there could be other ships with the capabilities of _Sajuuk_ out there. We could use them to our advantage against the Progenitors and the Vaygr."

"Hold on a second, we don't even know if this data is true, or just some random babble from a religious text!"

"Which is why I am working on repairing the remaining data. As more of the data becomes readable, the mystery should be solved soon enough."

"Well, if this holds true, then I'm really stumped on why the Progenitors have to make ships for people to worship as gods…"

"I'm going back to check if any progress has been made on the data."

Yuno vanished again, leaving Eefrit to ponder over the questions raised by the Grand Core's data. It was then that the comm channels buzzed with activity. Eefrit went to check it out.

"This is Admiral Eefrit of the _Legacy_."

"Hi Eefrit, Soban here. Just called to tell you something – ultra long range sensors picking up multiple Progenitor ships inbound from Kadesh via hyperspace, ETA twenty minutes."

"Holy Sajuuk, thanks for the info!"

"No problem, Soban out."

"Yuno, get back here now!"

No sooner had he said the words did Yuno rematerialise on the holographic projector.

"What is it?"

"Soban just called to say that they've picked up incoming Progenitor ships. I guess they tracked our hyperspace trajectories."

"Then we shall have no choice but to move deeper into the graveyard to evade detection. Transmitting orders to the _Paaura_, _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_ to return immediately for wake jump."

"Wake jump?"

"There're too many hyperspatial anomalies in the graveyard to just hop in on standard hyperdrives. I have set a course for the unexplored regions, which also happen to have the highest derelict density in all of Karos."

"I see. Looks like the Somtaaw are back," commented Eefrit, as he saw the command ships re-emerge from hyperspace beside the _Legacy_, "Let's go now."

"Roger. Fleet, this is Yuno. Abort all resourcing ops and stand by for emergency wake jump! Repeat, abort all ops and stand by for wake jump!"

Minutes later, the collectors had all docked and the fleet assembled in Military Parade formation. Yuno activated the Grand Core for the first time and the Exodus Fleet disappeared from realspace.

The Grand Core's performance was as legendary as its name. The jump was nearly instant, and they were soon back in realspace approximately a hundred light years from their previous location.

"I don't believe this – a one hundred light year jump completed in just under a second!" Yuno reported.

"That's some Core the Progenitors built," exclaimed the astonished Eefrit, "No wonder we can't let it fall into enemy hands. This is uncharted territory, we had better get some scans up."

"I already have. This place has so many quantum waveform irregularities it would be impossible to jump in without the _Sajuuk_ or the Grand Core. Interference here is also at an all-time high, I'm having trouble compensating. Complete scans will take considerable time."

"No hurry. We'll just leave the fleet on stand by until you get it done."

While Yuno busied herself scanning the surrounding space in detail, Eefrit looked at the viewscreens. They were surrounded by Progenitor wreckage of various shapes and sizes. Catching a glimpse of a whopper twice the size of the Mothership, Eefrit shuddered at the thought if it were online.

It was then that something caught Eefrit's eye. He thought he had caught a glimpse of movement among the hulks. He squinted at the derelict in question, trying to catch the movement again, but to no avail. Eefrit shrugged, dismissing it as mere imagination.

* * *

**Onboard the _Paaura_, Karos Graveyard:**

General Qwaar was unnerved by the wreckage around them. They were effectively blind here, as the ruins were blanking out all their sensor sweeps. He prayed for Yuno to jump them out of here as soon as possible.

The command ship was drifting at the rear of the Exodus Fleet, covering the tails of the _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_. His fleet remained at high alert, ready to meet any unexpected attack. Seeker II class recon fighters had already been launched to supplement the _Paaura_'s sensor arrays, which were now next to useless in the presence of all the interference.

Hearing no word from Yuno or other ships in the fleet, Qwaar decided to take a short break in the crews' lounge for a few minutes. He was about to leave the bridge when the comm channel crackled to life.

"This is recon one-one-eight, picking up incoming enemy ship signals from the derelicts!"

Qwaar turned back immediately, as the other officers tried to get the details from the recon pilot.

"One-one-eight, we need details. Can you confirm?"

"Pinging the derelicts now… Kiith's blood, they're Movers! They're all around us, and are moving to attack! I count at least two hundred…"

The officers turned to speak with the General, but he was already at his console, talking into his comm transmitter.

"General Qwaar to fleet, we have incoming Movers, prepare to engage! We must protect the _Legacy_ at all costs!"

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Karos Graveyard:

* * *

**

"This is Yuno of the Mothership…"

"We know already. You'd better concentrate on coordinating the fleet's defences, Yuno. We'll move in to engage all targets of opportunity." Soban replied.

"Very well then, just don't get yourselves killed out here. Yuno out."

Soban turned to his seasoned crew, who were already carrying out the necessary preparations for battle. With a loud hum, the _Gatekeeper_'s shields sprang up to cover the ship in a protective yellow glow.

"Sir, I'm picking up several hyperspace signatures, some Keepers are hypering in!"

"Do they have the infection ability?"

"No sir, these are the graveyard Keepers. They do not belong to the Progenitor invasion fleet. Nonetheless, they seem eager to finish us off. We are already being enveloped by a massive hyperspace inhibitor field!"

"With the Grand Core around we needn't worry about avenues for escape. Let's show these things what we can do!"

The Dreadnaught moved towards a Keeper which had its ion beams targeted on a Hiigaran battlecruiser. Suddenly, the ship stalled and the shields vanished as the computer screens started flickering, displaying nothing but garbled text.

"What the hell's going on?"

"Unknown, it seems we're getting hacked into!" responded an officer desperately, "We've lost total ship control!"

"Damn it!" Soban yelled, bringing his fist down hard on his scrambled console.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

Eefrit and the rest of the bridge officers stared at their computer screens, which showed line after line of garbled characters. Eefrit turned to Yuno for help, but she too was gone from the projector. All that remained were flickering blips of light floating around the device.

Yuno raced through the virtual world of the Mothership, beset from all directions by the invading AI of the Keepers. They reached out in an attempt to capture and erase her, but she eluded them and dived behind the protective firewalls of the _Legacy_'s databanks. As the AI descended upon the firewalls, Yuno quickly did a remote scan and traced the hacking back to the Grand Core.

Wasting no time, Yuno raced to the Grand Core data and dumped everything, corrupted and repaired, into a storage key. When the transfer was complete, she ejected the storage key to isolate the data from the Mothership's computer systems. The sudden ejection of a storage key from the computer console alarmed the operator using it.

The firewalls gave way as the AI cracked the code, forcing Yuno to run again. She saw a nearby port and jumped through it, taking care to close it behind her to buy some more time. Now she had to find a way to tell Eefrit to isolate the Grand Core electronically.

Meanwhile, the lights on the bridge flickered as the hacking spread to the power control systems. Eefrit and his crew worked feverishly to switch systems to manual control before the Keepers subverted everything. Outside, Acolyte IIs and pulsar gunships raced around to destroy the attacking Movers while the frigates and capital ships pounded on some thirty Keepers that were attacking from all directions.

As the last essential system was switched to manual successfully, Eefrit and the bridge officers roared in celebration. The emergency lighting kicked in just as the bridge lights flickered out. There was a loud groan as the _Legacy_ was raked by several Keepers' ion beams, sending vibrations through her superstructure. Eefrit checked the status of the cryogenic subsections and was relieved to see that it was operating on the backup power pylons.

At that moment, Eefrit's wrist comm buzzed as a message struggled to get through.

"This is Eefrit, who is this?" yelled the admiral over the noise.

"Eefrit, this is Yuno!"

"Yuno! What's going on here? Where in Kharak are you now?"

"No time to explain, you have to isolate the Grand Core electronically, the Keepers are using it as a gateway to hack into the Mothership's computer systems! They've somehow found a way to subvert any and all Progenitor technology in range!"

"Huh? Is there any way to counter it?"

"Sure there is, but we don't have the time to find that out right now. I have to go quickly, staying here is much too dangerous! Yuno out."

Yuno was in the _Legacy_'s communications network, which was grinding to a halt due to the Keepers' hacking. This was causing massive confusion within the Exodus Fleet, as messages were barely getting through. She saw the AI moving towards her, reaching out to grab her. She dodged in the nick of time and leapt into an outbound data stream. Moments later, she was in the _Pride of Hiigara_, and Yuno quickly cut off all computer contact with the _Legacy_.

"This is Yuno, and I'm currently onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_. All ships, update command registries immediately!"

Seconds later, the Exodus Fleet had rerouted everything from the _Legacy_ to the _Pride_, and began functioning as one coordinated strike force.

Eefrit was now running down the corridors with a few engineers towards the core containment section. The ship was still shuddering and jolting occasionally from the weapons fire of the Keepers. But the armor, reinforced during their stay at the _Second Scaffold_, held stubbornly in the face of the assaults.

After running for what seemed an eternity, he barged into the large hall that held the Grand Core. It was simply massive and connected to the _Legacy_'s computers via an array of wires leading out of the containment unit. The engineers moved quickly to set the Core operating systems to manual while Eefrit whipped out a knife and started slashing at the wires.

As the last wire came away, sparks flew from the wall computer consoles and sent an engineer flying hard into the Core. He slumped unconscious and Eefrit ran to his side to help him up, calling for medical assistance on his wrist comm. While the engineer was being carried away on a stretcher, Eefrit spoke into his wrist comm again.

"Yuno, it's done. We've isolated the Grand Core from the Mothership's computers. What next?"

"Good, I'll take it from here."

Yuno summoned up a Sjet hacking program and proceeded to hack back into the _Legacy of Kharak_. Once she was in, the AIs leapt at her, eager to erase her and get into the _Pride of Hiigara_'s network. But she was prepared now. The program activated a powerful erase command and proceeded to clean the entire sector free of the invading software. When that was done, Yuno left the rest of the work to the security programs, which moved to erase the last bits of the Keepers' presence in the computers.

The _Legacy_­'s systems rebooted and the lights came back on. The Mothership was back to normal, literally an empty shell since much of her automatic algorithms and processes had been corrupted by the invasion. There was a lot of reprogramming work to be done.

Outside, the tides of battle had been turned. Three Keepers and twenty Movers remained to provide insignificant resistance. The _Gatekeeper_ drifted aimlessly through space as Soban and his crews had managed to disable the computer systems of the Dreadnaught.

When the last Keeper finally succumbed in a flash of light, all onboard the Exodus Fleet gave a sigh of relief. The colonists in the _Legacy_'s holds were safe and sound, and that was all that mattered. Marine frigates moved in to assist Captain Soban in his repairs on the _Gatekeeper_, which was now without a brain.

As Yuno checked the databanks for inconsistencies and errors in data, she stumbled upon an abandoned data block left behind by the AI. She opened it with a translation program and was surprised by what lay within.

_Keeper Directive three-six-six: Invader has found Grand Core and crucial data. Objective is to eliminate Invader and liberate Grand Core._

_Keeper Directive three-six-seven: Upon elimination of Invader, objective is to move Grand Core and Koshiir Ra to secure location._

Yuno couldn't believe her eyes. Koshiir Ra was indeed a Progenitor ship, which could only mean that Qwaar Jet too was one! After the initial excitement died down, she regarded the data grimly. Now that the existence of the _Koshiir Ra_ was confirmed, many complications would definitely set in. The implications of a ship equal to _Sajuuk_ would not be good if it fell into enemy hands.

There was only one thing to do, Yuno decided. They must get the _Koshiir Ra_ first.


	16. Quest

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 15: QUEST

* * *

**

_During the Frontier Era, the Progenitors unlocked the secrets of hyperspace and forged the Three Cores. With that, the mighty Great Maker _Sajuuk_ was built to ferry ships across galaxies and to fulfil its one other purpose._

_It was also during this great age of discovery that the Progenitors went one step further to develop some of their most powerful creations in history. Research into the fields of quantum energy manipulation formed the foundations on which the future Grand Core's power supply would be built. With the advent of quantum energy tappers, the Progenitors were finally capable of building ships without the need to power them with Hyperspace Cores._

_The first ship was considered to be their greatest mistake, for the Progenitors could never resist the temptation of building a ship of war. The _Qwaar Jet _was unveiled in high orbit over the homeworld to much cheering and celebration. It was only during the test firings of the Torturer that the people realised the horror they had built. Entire worlds were crushed under the might of the _Qwaar Jet_'s cannon, and countless more stars extinguished. Completely repentant, the Elders ordered the _Qwaar Jet_ to be abandoned in a remote location, to keep it out of hands that would use it for evil._

_The second ship reflected the Progenitors' remorsefulness, for they sought to this time create one with the ability to protect. Using their past experiences, the Progenitors built the _Koshiir Ra_, the Guardian. This ship was constructed with the essence of their knowledge on quantum distortion fields, and was used many a time to save worlds and systems from destructive supernova phenomena._

_When the Rebellion came, the Progenitors used the _Koshiir Ra_ to handle the initial onslaught. Unfortunately, the limitations of the ship's power systems meant that it could not be used for defence indefinitely. Considered to be a liability, the Guardian was abandoned. This was another big mistake, for the Elders didn't count on the rebels to come up with their World Crusher ship, which almost definitely was based on the technologies of the _Qwaar Jet_. In fact, rumours were strife that the World Crusher was the_ Qwaar Jet_, but they could never be confirmed._

_Such is the story of the Three Gods – the Great Maker, the Torturer, and the Guardian._

**Onboard the _Exile_, high orbit over Hiigara:

* * *

**

Commander Hyll stared at the battlefield amidst flickering lights and sparking consoles. The other bridge officers continued to work on despite the situation.

"Battlecruiser _Vengeance_ reporting hull breaches and engine failure!"

"The Paktu fleet has lost their rear guard, they're being swarmed by assault craft!"

"Commander, we've just lost the Sjet carrier _Knowledge_!"

Hyll opened his mouth to respond, but the ship shook violently as heavy missiles impacted its side. The structure groaned and the lights went out, replaced seconds later by the dim glow of emergency lighting. Shaking his head, Commander Hyll pulled himself to his feet and was greeted by the sight of his officers all lying dead or wounded on the floor and consoles.

He tried to move through the thick smoke to a computer console, but suddenly collapsed as the strength went from his legs. Hyll felt his forehead with his right hand, and saw it come away smeared with crimson red blood.

A bright flash in a nearby viewscreen signified the end of the _Second Scaffold_, succumbing under the Trinity cannons of three Vaygr battlecruisers. Moments before losing consciousness, the smoke cleared partially, and Hyll saw the nose of a Vaygr battlecruiser aimed directly at the bridge.

"Damn… you… Vaygr…" he muttered.

And the _Exile_ was no more.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Karos Graveyard:**

"NOOO!" Kiir Sjet screamed as he awoke abruptly from his coma, alarming the doctor who was observing his vital signs. He now sat upright in his bunk, panting heavily and sweating profusely.

"Kiir… you're awake! Now, just stay still, you need more rest…"

"Doctor… doctor…" Kiir panted, "You have to tell them… Hiigara…"

"Now now, hallucinations are common upon waking from a coma."

"No, you don't understand… Hiigara…"

"Kiir, you have to calm down, this is not good for your health…"

"JUST LISTEN TO ME!" Kiir yelled in annoyance, sending shudders through the room. The doctor was shocked by the mysterious force that had just reverberated through the place.

"I'm sorry… it's just… you have to tell them. Hiigara…"

"What, Kiir? What do you want me to tell them?" the doctor now sat down beside the distraught Kiir.

"… Hiigara… it seemed so real… the Vaygr…"

As the details all came pouring out, the doctor sat in stunned silence as he experienced it first hand in his mind.

* * *

"… So Kiir Sjet told you that?" Yuno asked.

"It's not really tell… he sort of transmitted directly into my mind. I saw what he saw, the explosions, the flames, the Six Fleets crumbling under the Vaygr attacks…"

"I understand. Doctor, you'd better get some rest. Telepathic communication is exhausting. You'd best tell that to Kiir too."

"Why, yes. Of course. Infirmary out."

Eefrit listened grimly, then gave a sigh as he turned to Yuno's solemn hologram.

"If what Kiir said was true, then what do we do now?"

"I regret to say this, but we can do nothing. Without the _Sajuuk_, there is no way we'd stand a chance against all the Vaygr. You know this, Eefrit."

"So, it seems you're determined to find that Progenitor ship no matter the cost?"

"As things stand right now, the _Koshiir Ra_, whatever it is, will probably be Hiigara's only hope."

"Alright then. But I should ask you this, Yuno. Where do we even begin to look? The Galaxy's a big place, you know."

"The data repair has made considerable progress, I will be analysing it shortly…"

Yuno was interrupted by a comm channel that had suddenly come to life. It was crackling badly with interference, but still vaguely audible.

"This is Captain Elohim… Need help… Shipyard just escaped… Somewhere near Gozan…"

Yuno tried to reply, but the connection vaporised and was replaced with static. Eefrit was already giving orders to the crew.

"Yuno to Fleet, stand by for emergency transit to the Gozan System. Far jump coordinates locked in!"

* * *

**Onboard Infected Imperial Base _Epsilon V_, Kadiir Nebula:**

Luca Paktu rested in his chair as he absorbed information from the _Epsilon V_'s computer systems. His memories as a Hiigaran were almost all gone, as his mind and individuality were slowly merged with the entity.

He remembered his first flight aboard the Acolyte II prototype, the sights of Hiigara from space, and the massive Mothership emerging from hyperspace right beside him. The memory slowly faded away into the dark horizon.

Luca was running through this darkness, yelling at the top of his voice. But no one heard him. There was only darkness in the distance, and it seemed to stretch to infinity in every direction. He was trapped.

All this while, there was a dark sinister voice that sounded like many chorusing in unison. It kept tempting him to give up and merge whatever remained of his individuality with it. All this while, he had resisted by running.

But he was getting tired. It just wasn't encouraging to run into a dark distance that went on forever with no end in sight.

Luca continued running.

* * *

**Onboard the _Divina_, Bridge of Sighs:**

The high priest watched the tattered remnants of his fleet regroup and rebuild. He was enraged that they had actually been forced to retreat from the Unclean. Their losses had been heavy, and now they were left with five needleships.

If things continued the way they went, extinction of their race would be guaranteed.

The high priest was also remorseful that they failed to accomplish the task Kadesh had set out for them – to eliminate the Hiigarans. He hoped that Kadesh would not be hard on their failure.

"Your holiness, our long range sensors report that the Unclean planet Hiigara has fallen."

"Fallen? Why that would be interesting. Details?"

"It appears that the Hiigarans were attacked by another Unclean race, the Vaygr. Their defence fleets have fallen, and the Vaygr have taken possession of the planet."

"I see. We are in no state to purify this system. Set a course for the nearby Sarum System. We shall hide in the dust clouds there and reinforce our forces for a decisive strike at the Unclean."

* * *

**High orbit over Gozan IV, Gozan System:**

The _Shipyard Naabal_ crept slowly away from the main battle as the defending battlecruisers and frigates threw themselves at the oncoming Indigo Crusade. While the Vaygr capital ships engaged the Hiigaran vessels, the assault craft and bombers ignored them completely and went straight for the fleeing shipyard.

The mothership-class vessel was smouldering from the injuries it had received in Hiigaran orbit. It threw up a few squadrons of Acolyte IIs in a bid to defend itself, and the fighters clashed in a chaotic battle. Still, the bombers went on and unleashed their plasma weaponry on the shipyard's engines.

Onboard the pursued vessel, Commander Elohim yelled in annoyance as they lost all drive power and came to a stop. When the Indigo Crusade began punching through their capital ship defences, he and his crews braced themselves for the worst.

It was then that Hiigaran ships began dropping out of hyperspace like gifts from the heavens. Five mothership-class vessels were among them. Elohim gave a sigh of relief.

The Exodus Fleet had arrived.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Gozan IV:**

"All ships, move to provide cover for the _Shipyard Naabal_. Do not approach the main Vaygr fleet, it's too late for the shipyard's defenders. Stay clear of the main Vaygr fleet!" Eefrit hollered.

Acolyte IIs and pulsar gunships swarmed out of their docking bays and poured into the clouds of Vaygr strike craft surrounding the shipyard. Flak frigates rushed forward to support the fighters, accompanied by several Somtaaw multibeam frigates. Now the surrounding space was lit up by dazzling explosions as both Hiigaran and Vaygr ships fell to each other's firepower.

Meanwhile, the last of the shipyard's defence fleets were erased from existence, allowing the Indigo Crusade to advance on the shipyard and Exodus Fleet's positions. It wasn't a pretty sight – Six battlecruisers and ten destroyers now moved to bring their Trinity Cannons and missiles to bear on the Hiigaran forces. But Eefrit was unafraid.

"General Qwaar! You are clear to proceed, repeat, you are clear to proceed!"

"Roger! _Paaura_, _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_, fire Siege Cannons now!"

Three tremendous dull thuds signified the release of compressed plasma from the Somtaaw command ships. The spheres of glittering light sped towards the Vaygr fleet, which now turned to flee. But there was no escaping this at such close distance.

The spheres ignited, releasing their payload of plasma and energy in a blinding flash of light. The Indigo Crusade was rocked by a triple onslaught of lethal shockwaves that tore frigates to pieces and crippled their super capital vessels. When the blast had dissipated, only two of the battlecruisers remained, of which one was crippled beyond any form of fighting. The only other surviving ships were some lucky frigates which managed to retreat far enough, along with a heavily damaged destroyer. The seven carriers turned around to flee in the same direction as the Crusade's command shipyard, which was already powering up hyperdrives in an attempt to escape.

Sure enough, the green hyperspace windows opened before the shipyard and the carriers, enveloping them as they disappeared from normal space. Moments later, the ships dropped back out of hyperspace. The _Legacy_ had activated her gravity well generators!

"Eefrit, I have powered up the gravity well generators to the max. We cannot allow the carriers and shipyard to escape, or they will warn the Vaygr to our presence!"

"Agreed. All ships, focus fire on the carriers and shipyard! We must not let the Indigo Crusade threaten Hiigara again!"

The tables turned on them, the Vaygr forces had no choice but to put up a last ditch defence. The carriers brought their point defence systems to bear on the advancing Hiigaran strike craft while launching emergency squads of assault craft, lance fighters and bombers. The shipyard tried to hide by cloaking itself, but was quickly rediscovered by Yuno's timely launch of proximity sensors. In time, the Indigo Crusade was completely annihilated.

As the fleet celebrated their victory in destroying one of the seven Vaygr crusades, Yuno excused herself from the bridge to check on the data analysis' progress.

* * *

_The services of _Koshiir Ra_ were most invaluable in the protection of many systems during the rebellion. The Defiants and their weapons were clearly useless the moment the ship brought its Quantum Distortion Array online._

_It was thus with great regret that we were forced to abandon the _Koshiir Ra_ during the height of the rebellion. Her power systems were inadequate to meet the needs of full-blown battle. The Elders feared that if we were to lose _Koshiir Ra_ to the rebels, we would face certain defeat._

_In hindsight, the construction of the Grand Core may have provided an alternative source of energy to replace the unreliable systems of the _Koshiir Ra_. We were most astounded to see that the Grand Core would take the _Koshiir Ra_'s capabilities to greater heights. Unfortunately, the Elders would have none of it. Fearful to let both Grand Core and _Koshiir Ra_ fall into enemy hands, they gave orders to seal the Grand Core in an anomalous system in the same galaxy as the _Sajuuk

_As for the _Koshiir Ra_, it was locked in a place inaccessible to all, not even with the Grand Core. Unless of course, they could program the Core with the algorithms needed to access what is by far the most complex quantum anomaly ever discovered in our history. Until then, only the power of Aaraan, the Traveller, can reveal the Guardian._

_Progenitor historian's account

* * *

_

Yuno shook her head at the new information. It was not exactly as helpful as she wanted it to be, but it would have to do. The task ahead was daunting – now they would have to go out and manually check every single gate in the _Eye of Aaraan_ network for traces of the godly ship.

The rest of the data had been checked umpteen times, all with the same result: corrupted beyond repair.

Yuno sighed. Surely there was some other way of finding more information. She sat in cyberspace, pondering over her options, oblivious to the data shunts going past her.

* * *

Kiir Sjet walked slowly down the corridors of the Mothership. The place as far bigger than the _Exile_, and he was prone to getting lost as a result. Thankfully, the doctor was kind enough to pass him a small schematic of the _Legacy_'s interior, which he now held in his hand as a guide.

Kiir moved out onto a suspended section of corridor that hung over one of the halls in the vessel. It was somewhat noisy here. Looking down, he saw the production lines of the Mothership for the first time in his life. Multiple assembly lines were working to produce the various parts and components that would eventually be combined into ships. Seeing the distinct shape of an Acolyte taking place, he gathered that this area was in charge of fighter production.

Leaving the noise behind him, Kiir walked out of the hall and into another of those metallic corridors. Checking his map, he estimated that he would be somewhere near the cryogenic subsections. After some walking, he made a turn and gasped at the sight before him.

Thousands upon thousands of cryo pods suspended in insulating liquid by wiring and metal frames, stretching far into the distance. Kiir walked through the transparent glass corridor that snaked through the liquid, observing the cryogenic systems busily working to sustain the frozen colonists.

He could almost feel the urgency of Karan Sjet over a century ago.

"_Those trays contain all that remain of our people. Without them, we will become extinct."_

Kiir sighed. Now their situation was not very different from the Kharakian days. Hiigara had fallen, and everyone automatically assumed that the Vaygr would bomb the planet clean of any life. The only difference was that they had a Guidestone to spur them on in the past. Now, they were just fleeing through space with no particular destination in mind.

He left the cryogenic subsections, deciding to return to the infirmary. He had walked enough, and he needed to rest as the doctor had insisted. Referring to the map, he began scratching his head in confusion. Muttering an expletive at his navigational woes, he picked a corridor at random and began walking down it.

Kiir walked past several Mothership engineers, who regarded him with strange looks, as though he wasn't supposed to be here. Undaunted, he continued walking on into unknown territory, hoping to reach familiar grounds soon. Ten minutes later, he gave up and decided to ask someone for directions.

It was then that he noticed a door at the end of a corridor. It was different in design from the other doors he had come across. Naturally, his curiosity took over and his hand reached for the door console. Kiir hesitated for a while, wondering if what he was doing was permissible. He then gave a nonchalant shrug and hit the necessary keys.

The door groaned and slid open slowly, as though it hadn't been used in decades. Kiir peered into the darkness beyond. He fumbled for the light switch and pressed it, expecting the lights to flicker on as they usually did. Only this time, they didn't.

Instead, some dim lighting faded on, slowly revealing the shapes of the objects in the room. Kiir squinted to get a better look, and found rows of computer consoles and electronic systems distributed throughout the room in a radial formation. Right in the centre of the apparatus was a circular disc suspended in the air by space titanium cables. It appeared to be part of some sort of electronic cubicle.

Puzzled, Kiir went forward for a closer look, running his hands over the device. When he came to a hanging plug wire, he grasped it to pull it in for examination.

He didn't get an electric shock, but he got the ride of his life.

* * *

Yuno perked up at the sudden change, momentarily distracted from the results of the data analysis. There was a presence in the system, and it was definitely not one of the automated AI processes. Neither was it a remnant of the rogue Progenitor Keeper AI. With a mental thought, Yuno zapped instantaneously to the presence.

When she saw the presence for the first time, she was very surprised.

"Kiir! What in Kharak's name are you doing in here, how did you get in!"

"Huh? This voice… Yuno!"

Now Kiir looked towards the direction of Yuno's voice and saw her persona for the first time. He still couldn't figure out what was going on, though.

"Yuno? What's happened to me? Where am I?"

"I have no idea how you did this, Kiir, but you're in the _Legacy of Kharak_'s computer system."

"I'm in the what!"

"Now it's my turn for the questions," Yuno asserted, "I heard you have telepathy, telekinesis… now will you tell me how you got in here?"

"I don't know myself. I just touched a plug wire, and here I was."

"You can't get in here simply by just touching random wires, Kiir."

"Well, the plug was in this room. Pretty weird that place was, full of computer consoles, amost like a disused bridge. And in the centre…"

"Wait, you just stepped into the Control Core room?"

"The Control Core?"

"It was the place from which Karan controlled the Mothership during the journey from Kharak. It's the only place other than the bridge and Core Containment Sections that has a direct link to the Mothership computers."

"But, didn't Karan access the ship because she was plugged in?"

"Yes, which makes me wonder how you managed to do the same just by touching," replied Yuno, rolling her eyes in amazement, "Is there anything else you can't do?"

"Yeah, and that's getting back."

"Oh."

The medics surrounded Kiir's stiff body, which was still holding onto the plug wire with its right hand. This was the first time they had encountered a real out-of-body experience, and they had no idea how to deal with it.

"We could separate Kiir from the plug wire…"

"… And risk killing him by depriving his mind of the link with his body?"

"Would anaesthesia work? No… getting him unconscious in the virtual world would be unwise…"

"I think Yuno can handle that."

"But she has matters to attend to, and a fleet to manage. We can't waste her time in doing such mundane stuff."

And the medics continued their arguments and discussion with little progress taking place. Fifteen minutes later, they turned to the concerned Admiral Eefrit and the hologram of Yuno.

"Well, people?" Eefrit asked impatiently, "Can it be done?"

To that, the medics shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders. They had not the slightest clue. Eefrit sighed and turned to the dismayed Yuno.

"At least reroute the link from his hand to something more stable, like a neurohelmet or something. We'll think of what to do next from there." Yuno suggested.

The medics quickly set to work, making the necessary preparations to mount a neurohelmet on Kiir's head. They would not plug him in physically, but instead do so by connecting his brainwaves to the computer by means of complex brainwave analysis hardware.

* * *

**Assaam Kiith'sid, Hiigaran Capital City:**

The once busy urban landscape was now completely deserted. Streets were completely empty and devoid of any sign of life. The skies were silent except for the occasional whir of a police hovership patrolling the area for unevacuated civilians. Everyone had been sent to the safety of the bomb shelters.

The only problem was that the shelters could not protect from what was coming next.

A dull thud resonated across the barren city landscape, signifying the hypersonic approach of something from orbit. The pilot of the patrol ship looked up, manoeuvring his vehicle to get a better view of the thing.

He saw something plunging down from the heavens, burning brightly like a falling star. The pilot regarded it with awe as it came closer and closer. A quick check with the ship's sensors predicted the impact zone to be roughly a dozen kilometres north of the city outskirts.

The falling thing vanished behind the cover of a mountain, and the distant roar of its violent descent was abruptly cut off. Suddenly, the area behind the mountain lit up in a brilliant flare of light. Instantly, the mountain was reduced to dust as the explosion and shockwave spread farther.

The pilot knew instantly what it was, and instinctively brought up his hovership magnetic shielding to the maximum. But he knew that nothing could withstand the full force of an atmosphere deprivation weapon.

Several seconds later, the shockwave sliced through the city, demolishing all in its path. The hovership was caught by a terrible gust of wind that sent it spiralling out of control, then the flames consumed both Hiigaran and his ship.

Assaam Kiith'sid was wiped off the face of the planet, but that was not the end. Even as the initial explosion spread further, more of the burning stars began their descent from the skies above.


	17. Void

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 16: VOID

* * *

**

_The Progenitors acquired the power to jump wherever they wished, thanks to the far jumping capabilities of _Sajuuk_ and the Three Cores. However, the Elders soon realised the impracticalities of having to use the Great Maker for their every transportation requirement. There was simply no way to design an AI program reliable enough to process the hyperspatial requests of a civilisation spanning an entire galactic cluster._

_As the _Sajuuk_ was pushed to its software processing boundaries, a committee of scientists commissioned by the Elders to solve the problem came up with a radical idea. They would lighten the load of the Great Maker by diverting traffic to an alternative mode of transport – a hyperspace gate network._

_The Progenitors worked hard to innovate upon their far jumping hypertechnology in a bid to make this project a reality. Problems with power generation were quickly overcome with energy sources easily accommodated by the vast sizes of the gates, and further developments since the forging of the Three Cores meant that they could implement lesser versions of the Cores in each gate._

_After decades of research and construction, the prototype _Eye of Aaraan_ system was completed. It spanned an entire galaxy, and linked it to several others. All that was needed now was a powerful burst of energy to run the network for the next few centuries. Relative to their previous hurdles, this was nothing. The Progenitors had known for eons that synchronising hyperdrives generated quantum energy exceeding the standard combined output of the two drives. With that in mind, the Progenitor scientists merely synchronised the Three Cores themselves, and channelled that energy into the _Eye of Aaraan

_The success of the _Eye of Aaraan_ meant that more networks would be built, with the final goal of linking every galaxy in the Progenitor cluster with trans-galactic hypergates, and allowing far jumping within galaxies by using intra-galactic hypergates. Unfortunately, the _Eye of Aaraan_ was the last great project of this massive civilisation, before it ruptured under the strain of civil war.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, high orbit over Gozan IV:**

Captain Soban now knew the torture of running a ship on manual. With engineers from the _Legacy of Kharak_ still working to restore computer controls, sending messages from Command to Engineering involved sending an athlete sprinting down the corridors with some papers. In their current condition, there was no way at all to make hyperspace jumps.

Thankfully, they managed to jump here simply because the Grand Core didn't need the consent of the ship it was jumping. It just pulled the ship into hyperspace whether the ship was capable of doing so or not. Still, restoration of jump capabilities was important if the _Gatekeeper_ was to remain a combat-capable vessel.

"How the hell did you manage to disable the inner workings of a super advanced Progenitor ship?" the _Legacy_'s Chief Engineer had asked.

"We were desperate to stop the thing from firing that gun on the Mothership, so we just rerouted some wires…"

"Rerouted wires?"

"You know the ones that were supposed to feed power into the Phased Cannon Array? Well, we rerouted them to supply the computer systems."

The Chief Engineer had gone ballistic when he heard about what Soban had ordered his crews to do. He was literally screaming into Soban's face about the potential dangers, including phasing themselves out without hyperspacing back in, and the list went on.

Soban's crews were not used to doing work without their computers. For instance, the Sensors Officers now worked by looking out through viewports located around the ship (viewscreens were offline) and making notes of ships surrounding them, and the relative position of the _Gatekeeper_ from the rest of the fleet.

The only light in all this darkness (emergency lighting since standard automatic lights were offline) was the fact that life support ran on a perfectly independent system that was not hacked or damaged by their manual disabling. Soban was grateful they didn't have to carry oxygen tanks around with them.

It was then that the main lighting flickered softly. Soban and his crew looked up in anticipation, all clinging to the hope that main computer control was fixed. Sadly, emergency lighting remained on as the main lights died out again. There was a collective sigh as everyone went back to their manual chores.

Soban decided to return to his quarters. It had been a long time since he'd last updated his log. Walking down the dimly lit corridors, he caught a glimpse of the very sweaty Sensors Officers running off to another viewport to continue their relative position calculations. Stepping into his private room, he flicked the switch of his electronic log computer.

To his dismay, the screen showed garbled text. He swore and banged the console hard. Their power surge had most definitely wiped out months' worth of logging. Soban was about to turn the annoying thing off when the garbled text was replaced by a series of numbers in a certain sequence. Surprised by the sudden change, Soban studied the numbers for a few minutes, eventually concluding that this was probably something for the Mothership's tech teams to figure out.

Soban copied the sequence, about a page long, onto a sheet of paper. Then he took the sheet to the marine frigate docked to the _Gatekeeper_'s hull. After all, the communications systems had gone down in the surge too.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Gozan IV:**

The rerouting would take considerable time, the medics had promised, so Yuno took the chance to give Kiir a virtual tour of the _Legacy_. She had shown him the communications systems and construction algorithms. Now she was taking him to view the databanks. Kiir stared in awe at the size of the place.

"So, this is where all information collected since the Homeworld War is stored?" he gasped.

"Yes, every single scrap of ship and stellar phenomenon data, not to mention encounters and various mission logs. In fact, every bit of data collected by the Hiigaran Navy to this date can be found here."

"That is amazing… So, what's new around here?"

"The latest data we have is this," Yuno replied while bringing up the repaired Grand Core data, "I got this from the Grand Core, and this is all that can be repaired and read."

Kiir scanned through the information quickly, and was astounded.

"Wow, who would've thought that _Koshiir Ra_ was a ship too?"

"I was just as surprised when I found the data. Now there's a big problem. I can't find any uncorrupted data regarding the actual position of the _Koshiir Ra_. All I know right now is that the ship is hidden in a very complex quantum anomaly."

"Something like the Grand Core?"

"Only this time, we either access it via the _Eye of Aaraan_ or by using a specific algorithm for the Grand Core to follow."

"Hyperspace Physics, my pet subject. Mind giving me all you have so I can work on this?"

"Huh? Kiir, with all due respect, we're talking advanced Progenitor Physics here. Are you sure you can handle this?"

"My research halted because I had insufficient data to work from. The information in the databanks regarding the Progenitors would be very helpful."

"Well then, I guess there's no harm in giving you free access." Yuno beamed.

At that point in time, Admiral Eefrit's voice came booming through the computer systems.

"Yuno, if you're there, there's some new data that came in from the _Gatekeeper_. You might want to take a look at it."

"I'll check it out immediately. Kiir, feel free to access whatever data you want here." Yuno said before warping off to analyse the new information. Kiir waved goodbye, then set off to find the information he wanted.

"These numbers don't seem to make any sense…" Yuno muttered under her breath as she summoned up various programs to run searches and match the numbers with anything in the database. The results came back negative.

She stopped for a moment to think. Perhaps the sequence had something to do with what the numbers meant. Yuno stared hard at the way the numbers were arranged, trying to match it with something she saw before…

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, hyperspace transit:**

The lights throughout the mighty vessel were dim from the lack of power. Many computer systems had been shut down in an effort to divert every last ounce of power from the _Sajuuk_'s reactors to the Three Cores. Even then, total energy drain would be inevitable.

Karan monitored their progress, and was dismayed that the Progenitors had not given up their pursuit. Though the speeds of their hyperdrives could not match the _Sajuuk_'s, they compensated by their sheer numbers. Ships were sent to pursue in shifts, ensuring that at least one vessel would track the final exit point of the _Sajuuk_.

Her Unbound senses were starting to lose their sharpness as even more sensor systems were taken offline. Now they had barely enough energy to exit this jump safely, and initiate a final one immediately after.

Moments later, the great ship emerged from hyperspace on the Northern Galactic Fringe. What lay beyond was uncharted territory, and the path to another galaxy.

As the red blips approached their position, Karan gave the ship's computers just enough energy to access the navigational files. She saw her destination and mentally sent a command to the Three Cores. With that, the main lighting flickered out and everything was dark save for the dim blips of light on barely functional viewscreens.

The _Sajuuk_ entered hyperspace one last time.

* * *

**Onboard the _Faal Corum_, high orbit over Gozan IV:**

The elite astronavigational crews worked feverishly to decode the strange string of numbers. Yuno had correctly guessed that the sequence of digits represented some form of galactic coordinates, passing the data to the famous navigational teams of the _Faal Corum_.

From the number sequence, the crews had already narrowed down their search to a sector of space in the Shining Hinterlands just a few light years from Karos. Still, the area involved was several dozen light years in diameter. Much refining was left to be done.

Suddenly, a tap on a computer console made it all fall into place and a precise location was found – the _Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 34C. However, the sequence of numbers still went on for several lines, and it was clearly nothing navigational in nature.

The crews had done their best, and this was what they could come up with. The coordinates were sent to the _Legacy of Kharak_ without delay.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, high orbit over Gozan IV:**

Yuno regarded the decoded data with great interest. Much as she was tempted to load the entire string into the Grand Core, Yuno remained cautious about the last few lines of indecipherable digits.

Meanwhile, Kiir Sjet's physical body had been successfully transferred to a bunk, the neural interfaces rerouted via a neurohelmet now mounted on his head. Their arduous task complete, the medics retired for their much-needed rest.

Admiral Eefrit was back at the bridge, overseeing fleet operations in Yuno's absence. After all, she had to make sure that Kiir didn't meet with any cyberspace mishap. Thanks to the various automatic algorithms, running an entire fleet was made far easier for Eefrit. It was then that Yuno suddenly materialised on her bridge holoprojector.

"The crews of the _Faal Corum_ have successfully decoded Captain Soban's data." Yuno reported.

"I see, and what did they find?" Eefrit enquired curiously.

"Coordinates corresponding to the location of the _Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 34C. Unfortunately, the crews were unable to make sense of the data that came after the coordinates."

"If you ask me, we should play it safe and download only the coordinate data into the Grand Core. Who knows what the rest of the Progenitor data is designed to do."

"Of course. I'm afraid you'll have to manage the jump preparations. I still have Kiir to look after."

"No problem. We can handle everything here."

The databank access was a godsend for Kiir. Many of his questions had been answered, and many variables accounted for. This was making his research far easier, giving him a chance to refine his Sync Jump and Quantum Distortion algorithms to function better.

It had taken some practice, but now Kiir had gotten the hang of summoning programs at the wave of a hand. Sometimes he summoned the wrong things, but he was getting better with each attempt. This time, he brought up a calculation utility to aid in the solving of his equations. He slipped in the new variables and prayed for a lucky break.

As expected, he got an undefined result. He sighed and went back to his work, pondering over where to go from here. It would only be a matter of time before he reached the limit of extending jump ranges using hyperdrive synchronisation, but true far jumping still remained an impossibility.

Yuno warped in beside him and was awe-struck by the lists of calculations, variables and equations he had put out.

"Looks like you've been working hard at it."

"Well, we won't be building Far Jumpers of our own anytime soon I'm afraid."

"But these formulae… unless I'm mistaken, they appear to be revised versions of your famous Sync Jump Algorithm."

"Yeah, but there's a limit to how far fleets can jump using this method. Anyway, I haven't got a clue what your Grand Core data means, Yuno."

"I'm not surprised. Take your time with it. By the way, we'll be making a jump to Gate 34C in the next few minutes. Hopefully you can find some answers there."

"Hopefully… well, I'll upload these updated Sync Jump and Quantum Distortion algorithms into the fleet databanks so that every ship is equipped with them…"

It was then that Kiir vanished from Yuno's sight.

Kiir Sjet awoke abruptly in his bunk, banging his head hard against the neurohelmet suspended over his head. He groaned as he felt the fresh bump on his forehead, rubbing it to dissipate the pain.

Yuno quickly appeared on the nearest console screen.

"Kiir! How did you just leave the system?"

"Gee… I have absolutely no idea… but I'm never touching loose wires again for that matter…" he muttered while the throbbing pain slowly faded away.

* * *

**Outskirts of Balcora:**

The _Sajuuk_ warped back into realspace after a trying journey across one of the most hyperspatially-resistant areas in the Galaxy. Its energy reserves were finally drained, and the ship dropped into a near-powerless mode for the reactors to begin the arduous recharging.

Karan somehow managed to reroute power from some remaining non-essential systems to get some basic sensor capability. As she squinted across the vast distances with her significantly reduced Unbound senses, she quickly determined that they had misjumped by a few kilometres. Nonetheless, they were still well within range of their final destination.

Minutes later, the reactors restored enough power to give the _Sajuuk_'s conventional drives a kick of energy. With a mighty roar, the vessel began trudging towards the massive derelict looming in the distance.

As the ship approached the structure, various mechanisms began activating to welcome the arrival of the Great Maker. Spikes of pure quantum energy began arcing across external conduits, which began glowing with ever-increasing intensity. At the same time, the radial gate in the centre began to turn and glow with dazzling blue light.

Karan Sjet sent a mental command, and the gate responded. A shimmering window of hyperspace pierced through the empty void and consumed the _Sajuuk_ entirely as it plunged through the _Eye of Aaraan_. Then the window vanished promptly as the structure began shutting down. The _Eye_ ceased to turn and the conduits dimmed rapidly.

Moments later, several hyperspace windows began opening in the vicinity of the _Eye_. They slid back to reveal several Progenitor Keepers and battlecruisers, their officers regarding the _Eye of Aaraan_ with great interest.

* * *

**Onboard the _Divina_, Sarum System:**

The high priest walked around, supervising his officers as they did their work. Various harvesters had been released to collect resources from the rich asteroid belts in the area, and the needleships were now hard at work replacing their lost squadrons of swarmers and multibeam frigates.

The clockwork monotony was broken by the sudden loss of a harvester. The bridge officers quickly focused the needleship's sensors on the area, but found nothing. Despite their many years of sensor calibration in the Great Nebula, Sarum's unique dust clouds provided interference that they had yet to encounter before.

"Your holiness, we have dispatched a squadron of swarmers to investigate the loss."

"I see. We must make sure that this is not the prelude to a surprise attack. Put all fleet assets to the fullest alert, we cannot let the Unclean take another victory."

The officers watched the sensor screens as the fighters approached their destinations. Suddenly, shrieks cut through the communications channels before they ended abruptly. The officers were shocked, and the high priest alarmed by the sudden outburst.

But more was yet to come. Ships began emerging from the cover of the dust clouds. Before the Kadeshi could respond, brilliant crimson beams shot out from the vessels, impacting the frigates closest to the dust clouds.

"Your holiness! We are losing contact with ships in the fleet!"

"The Unclean have set a trap! Engage the enemy at once!"

The Kadeshi fleet recovered quickly from the surprise assault and began firing their advanced ionic weaponry on the incoming infected ships. But their resistance was futile. For every infected ship they brought down, several more Kadeshi vessels were subverted.

"Your holiness, the Unclean are using some kind of techno-organic entity to subvert all ships in range! We have already lost the _Aeterna_ needleship to the infection!"

"Bring all needleships to the rear and let the primary strike forces engage the Unclean while we escape to hyperspace. We cannot allow our race to become extinct!"

The remaining four needleships quickly assembled in a parade formation, and hyperspace windows opened before them. Unfortunately, the windows collapsed promptly as the infected needleship reconfigured its inhibitors to trap the fleeing ships.

Now a mothership-class vessel moved out of the dust clouds to watch the ensuing slaughter. The Kadeshi caught a glimpse of the thing and froze in terror. Several hundred metres of hull were warped in grotesque directions to form a ship shaped like a needleship, but with a massive manufacturing module in its centre and eight minor needles jutting out from the sides of its disc.

The minor needles glowed with increasing intensity, then let loose several long range infection beams that rained down upon the survivors. Within seconds, the remnants of the Kadeshi were completely assimilated.

* * *

**_Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 34C, Southern Outer Rim:**

The Exodus Fleet slid out of hyperspace and initiated resourcing operations immediately. As the collectors and workers swarmed towards the nearest asteroid pockets, the fleet began moving on conventional drives towards the large hypergate.

As expected, sensor sweeps revealed nothing special. There was no Progenitor superweapon or legendary ship.

"Well, it seems we came here for nothing Yuno," Eefrit commented, taking readings of the nearby region.

"Of course it can't be that easy to find the _Koshiir Ra_. Chances are we'll need to jump through the gate, but first we had better take the chance to harvest resources and build up the fleet. Who knows what we'll encounter next?"

"True. We still have the Vaygr to contend with, on top of those Progenitor zealots. By the way, have you any idea where this gate leads to?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it's the gate Karan was exploring the other time. According to the exploration logs, the gate led the _Sajuuk_ to an inaccessible region to the south of the Galaxy. The place was sort of sealed off from normal ships due to the presence of several strong gravity wells."

"Gravity wells?"

"Yes. The Southern Fringe has many supergiant stars and several black holes, possibly remnants of a previous galactic collision. That was why Karan was keen on exploring that region first, since it had never been accessed by any sentient race in all our history since the First Time."

"What did she find there?"

"Nothing notable, except a Progenitor derelict with traces of the Beast variant currently in use by the Progenitor zealots. Then she was forced to withdraw to Hiigaran space when the Turanics and Imperials started moving."

"If the place is sealed off by gravs, why can't we just jump in with the Grand Core?"

"Well, we could do that. Only problem is that we do not have the necessary targeting data for such a jump. Karan didn't get a chance to survey the area properly, remember?"

"Great. Guess we'll have to go in and make our own starcharts…"

"May I propose something?" Kiir asked as he stepped onto the bridge.

"Kiir? Wow, so you finally managed to get out?" Eefrit asked.

"I don't know how I did it, but I'll figure that out another day. Anyway, I'm here to ask if I could resume work on the Light Sword project."

"Project Light Sword? Isn't that the Super Acolyte research programme?"

"That's the one. You see, during the Bentusi encounter, we were able to conduct several close range deep scans of the Bentusi Super Acolytes. This new data should allow me to come up with a possible Acolyte III design."

"An Acolyte III?"

"The current generation of Acolyte II fighters are equipped with high speed autocannons and energy cannons. My goal is to incorporate the Bentusi ion cannons in the design somehow. Hopefully this will help even out our battles against the Progenitors."

"But from the past records, you have met with failure due to the crystal conduits malfunctioning." the doubtful Eefrit uttered.

"I understand that, but the data from the Bentusi scans will solve that problem. All I need is access to one of the fighter production lines, and a research lab. Can you spare that?"

"Hmm, _Legacy_ doesn't have any spare facilities for you. However, I think the _Pride of Hiigara_'s Advanced Research Module might have a spare lab. I do believe they also have a spare production line not in use currently." Yuno mentioned.

"And I'll send you over in my shuttle," Eefrit quipped, "When will you be free for the transfer?"

"Anytime! I can't thank you both enough… rest assured it'll work this time!" Kiir exclaimed.

The shuttle glided out of the _Legacy of Kharak_'s docking bays and headed for the _Pride of Hiigara_. As the other massive mothership loomed bigger in their approach, Kiir silently reflected on the past tragedies of the project. This time, he would make sure that no more lives were lost.

Meanwhile, the fleet busied itself over the resourcing operations, building more strike craft and frigates. In all their activity, no one noticed the miniscule quantum distortion building up within the gate…


	18. Pioneers

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 17: PIONEERS

* * *

**

_Since the discovery of the Great Hyperspace Core in the First Time, the Galaxy has opened up in the wake of hyperspace technology. Many regions once thought to be inaccessible were conveniently reached by various civilisations using normal jump modules, while other areas were charted by the Bentusi in their explorations with the First Core._

_However, one region remained closed to all sentient races in the Galaxy. The legacy of a cataclysmic collision between galaxies in an ancient era far beyond the First Time, the Southern Fringe is laced with many dying supergiant stars and black holes. Second only to the inhospitable Balcora region, even the Bentusi's Far Jumper was stopped dead in its tracks._

_Of course, the Galaxy's civilisations still stubbornly sent ambitious expeditions in attempts to conquer what was called the Final Frontier. Ships jumped into hyperspace and tried to enter the Southern Fringe from nearly every angle of entry possible, with disastrous results. Entire convoys perished when their hyperdrives gave out and left them stranded several light years inside the influence of the gravity wells. Effectively trapped, many died of slow and agonising starvation._

_Protected by such an insurmountable obstacle, the Southern Fringe was quickly forgotten. Only when the _Eye of Aaraan_ provided a gateway into the region did the possibility of exploration come up once more._

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, _Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 34C:

* * *

**

Kiir Sjet finally reached the Advanced Research Module, and it was certainly quite a sight. The place swarmed with the best scientists Hiigara had to offer, with equally advanced analysis and research equipment. It definitely lived up to its name of being the ultimate off-world Hiigaran research centre.

As Kiir walked to his designated laboratory section, a scientist in a lab coat rushed over excitedly.

"Kiir Sjet! I didn't expect to meet you here!"

"Huh? You are…?"

"Don't you remember? The Institute of Space Sciences?"

At the mention of his alma mater, Kiir stared hard at the new face. Moments later, something sparked in his mind.

"Surely you can't be Kro?"

"Time flies doesn't it?" the Manaan beamed cheerily.

"Where the hell did you end up? I thought I had lost contact with you for good!" Kiir exclaimed, slapping the back of his long-lost friend.

"While you went on to revolutionise hyperspace physics, I got assigned to the _Pride of Hiigara_. Basically, I was kinda freaked out when they had me board the Crew Transport, escorted by nothing but a couple of interceptor squadrons…"

"You were in the Vaygr War!"

"That's why you couldn't find me. Karan was hopping us all over the Galaxy to save Hiigara's sorry butt! In the end, they took me to _Sajuuk_ when they abandoned the mothership in Balcora. I've been reassigned from ship to ship ever since. It was very harrowing…"

"Hey, I didn't have it easy either. The rest of us were hiding in bomb shelters praying that Makaan wouldn't start dropping those atmosphere deprivation things onto the planet!"

"I see. Well, it's good to see you again anyway, Kiir! By the way, what brings you to the _Pride_?"

"I was granted permission to continue the Light Sword Project. They didn't have space back on the _Legacy_, so they transferred me over."

"Light Sword? Wow, you're building Super Acolytes?"

"I've got new data from deep scans of Bentusi vessels. I'm pretty sure I'll make it work this time. Now, what exactly are you doing around here now?"

"Well, they got me to do research on samples of Progenitor armor. Now I'm trying to devise a hybrid version for use on our ships."

"Sounds good. See you around then!"

"Yeah, nice to have you back!"

Kiir waved Kro Manaan off and moved into the lab. As the doors slid shut behind him, he quickly put down his belongings and looked around. Clearly, this place was notches ahead of the old lab he worked in at Tanis Base. There were computer terminals powered by the latest processors that Hiigaran sciences could offer, as well as various storage keys containing archives of research data.

After a few moments of staring in awe, Kiir snapped himself back to reality. Sitting down at a computer terminal, he plugged in his storage key and loaded all his data into the system. Now he could begin his work.

* * *

**Onboard the _Oblivion_, the _Eye of Aaraan_:**

"So this is the _Eye of Aaraan_ itself… it certainly is an incredible project," commented the rebellion leader, observing the minute technical details of the massive gate, "And Karan escaped through this?"

"Yes my lord, and it appears that she has locked the system using the _Sajuuk_'s encryption codes. Trying to crack it using our current hacking methods would take years to achieve."

"Then did you infidels manage to get a lock on her hyperspace trajectory when she escaped?" demanded the leader, bringing his fist down hard on the console before him.

"Erm, I'm afraid it wasn't possible. There is no way of tracking ships jumping through the gate system. The gate system propels them to a different level of hyperspace…"

"I do not care for these pathetic excuses, YOU WILL FIND THE _SAJUUK_ WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, IS THAT CLEAR?"

"…Yes, my lord. It shall be done," the officer stuttered as he stumbled back to his terminal in fear.

"In the meantime, plot a course for Hiigara. The fact that the cruisers were defeated by a technologically inferior race is disturbing enough to warrant an investigation."

"At once, your Greatness. All ships, stand by for hyperspace entry!"

* * *

**Onboard a Progenitor Keeper, the _Eye of Aaraan_:**

The crews readied themselves for the hyperspace jump as the computers made their preparations. Engineers moved to the various safety zones to strap in, abandoning sections of the ship.

A terrible procedure, for the infection containment unit began to beep angrily, trying to warn someone of the imminent containment field breach.

But no one knew of the danger, since the computers were concentrating fully on fine tuning algorithms for the next jump. And so the entity within sapped the last remnants of the energy field, breaking out to subvert the containment unit and all else beyond.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, _Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 34C:**

She didn't notice it at first, but soon the quantum distortion became too prominent to ignore. Yuno brought a few sensors to bear on the gate and studied the distortion. It behaved like a hyperspace exit, yet was too chaotic to actually jump anything through.

The sensors warned her of anomalous energy readings. Yuno quickly ran a check on the quantum energy present in the distortion, finding it to be perfectly normal. It was then that the communications arrays started picking up abnormal amounts of static. She was really confused now by the strange data, something she had received for the first time in her life. It was almost as if someone was pinging them through the distortion…

Of course, that was it! The idea had hit Yuno suddenly, and now she quickly sent alerts through the fleet.

"Emergency alert, we have been pinged. All ships, stand by for possible contact with enemy fleet! Eefrit, dock at the nearest carrier, this could get dangerous!"

"I already am here," he commented as he entered the bridge. Eefrit caught a glimpse of the sensors manager and groaned, "Crap, it's happening already!"

Yuno returned her attention to the hypergate. Sure enough, the distortion had disappeared and was now replaced by hyperspace signatures as the gate powered up to deliver its cargo. In response, the resource collectors and workers fled to the safety of the carriers while the capital ships moved in with their weapons aimed at the gate.

The hyperspace gate activated in a flash of blue light, releasing ships from hyperspace transit. They were shaped like asteroids and were crystalline in nature. A quick consultation with the fleet archives confirmed them to be T-MAT ships.

Yuno didn't know what to do next. The only time she had seen a T-MAT vessel was during a history lesson in her adolescence. Even then, they were so enigmatic that the Hiigaran databanks' only possessed a single photograph of a megaship. That dated back to the defeat of the Taiidan emperor, when the Bentusi had come to declare the war over. As megaships, cruisers, destroyers and frigates continued warping in, Eefrit was unnerved.

"This isn't looking good, Yuno. At the rate they're coming in, they could outnumber us in a matter of minutes!"

"Please be patient. Perhaps they do not have hostile intentions, surely they are a reasonable people. I am picking up a large hyperspace signature!"

All eyes turned to the viewscreens as the gate began to deliver something extraordinarily large. Moments later, the T-MAT mothership flickered into objective being. Built on the same scale as the _Bentus_, it was like a megaship on steroids. The gate then fell silent as quickly as it had awakened.

The gathered T-MAT fleet equalled the Exodus Fleet in numbers, but Yuno knew that they had the edge in technology. Aggravating them would not be wise, so she summoned up her courage and began to speak.

"Greetings, T-MAT fleet. I am Yuno Manaan of the Hiigaran Exodus Fleet. May we enquire about your sudden presence here?"

Yuno paused, expecting a reply, but there was only silence.

"I don't think this is going to work. We should hyperspace away while we still can." Eefrit shook his head solemnly, arms crossed. Undaunted, Yuno tried again.

"Attention T-MAT fleet, we mean you no harm whatsoever. Please respond!"

There was another uneasy silence, but this time the T-MAT's collective voice flickered in on all frequencies after several moments.

_"Hiigarans, do you not see the folly of your actions after all these calamities?"_

"I beg your pardon?"

_"It was all wrong from the start. A Bound race such as yours should never have found the Second Core in the first place. What followed were eras of never-ending bloodshed and violence."_

_"By locating the Second Core, the so-called "peace" our Bentusi kin sought came to an end. You decimated the Taiidani homeworld, and caused your own Exile. And your race simply refused to accept it, choosing to return 4000 years later. By doing so, you threw the entire galaxy into upheaval, ruining the Taiidan Empire and causing interstellar civil wars. Were it not for the intervention of the Bentusi, we would have exterminated your race to stop any more debacles from happening."_

_"What you did in return was absolutely horrific. You unleashed the horror that was the Beast on the Galaxy, extinguishing so many songs and promising civilisations."_

"But, our unleashing the Beast was entirely an accident! You know that we didn't mean to do it intentionally…" Yuno replied.

_"Silence! If it were not for your endless political bickering, the Somtaaw would never have to unlock the probe containing the Beast material. So you see, many of the Galaxy's ills can be traced to your cursed race's presence."_

"But you can't make that sort of generalisation!" Yuno gasped, enraged by what the T-MAT was saying, "We unleashed the Beast but stopped it in the end…"

_"But the damage had already been done. You doomed the Bentusi by having them split their existence between this galaxy and another. Yes, you may have defeated Makaan and stopped the Vaygr assaults in the End Time, but you did so at the cost of the Bentusi themselves! As if that was not enough, you had the audacity to open the _Eye of Aaraan_, blinded by the sense of power granted by the Great Maker!"_

"… But that's why we're now on a journey to stop the Progenitors. We must find the…"

"Koshiir Ra_? We should have guessed. Predictable Hiigarans, always finding yet another ancient ship to stop the ancient horrors they unlock…"_

"If we can't find the _Koshiir Ra_, then this Galaxy will really be doomed!" yelled Yuno, unable to keep her feelings in check any longer, "And when that happens, your race will meet the same fate as ours, along with every civilisation in the Galaxy!"

_"True, but look at all the historical records. Your quest to find the _Sajuuk_ activated Keepers throughout the Void. While you fight "valiantly" to stop the Progenitors and the Vaygr, many more civilisations fracture under the attacks of the Keepers. What makes you so sure that the _Koshiir Ra_ will not be the catalyst of another catastrophe such as this?"_

"We…" Yuno stuttered, but she had nothing to say. The T-MAT's logic had completely stumped her. She looked to Eefrit for advice, but he had none to offer.

_"Speechless at last, are you not?"_ gloated the T-MAT, "_Too long have we stood back and done nothing. It is time to end your accursed existence."_

The T-MAT ended their transmissions abruptly, taking Yuno and Eefrit entirely by surprise. Almost instantly, the T-MAT began launching fighters and started moving to fire on the Exodus Fleet.

"Holy Sajuuk, the T-MAT are attacking! Eefrit to all ships, fire at will! Yuno, begin charging up for an emergency jump… Yuno!"

The bridge rocked violently as three megaships swept in, raking the _Legacy_ with their rapid-fire ion cannons. The rest of the Hiigaran fleet tried to draw fire away from the mothership, firing back on the T-MAT ships. But the T-MAT fleet simply ignored everything else and focused their fire on the _Legacy of Kharak_.

The mothership shuddered as hulls gave way and sections collapsed. There was no way it could survive this kind of firepower.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, _Eye of Aaraan _Gate 34C:**

Captain Soban saw the mothership reel from the withering fire. At first, he stared in shock at the unbelievable power of the T-MAT ships, then quickly remembered the colonists in cold sleep onboard the _Legacy_.

"Scramble alert! Weapons Control, target the PCA at the T-MAT mothership! Engineering, full power to shields! Helm, take us towards the _Legacy_, hopefully we can block some of the fire physically!"

The crew responded and started keying commands into the temporary controls. The computers had not been completely restored yet, and they hoped for a miracle. To their relief, the main drives kicked in and pushed the Dreadnaught to the front of the mothership, blocking some of the ion cannon fire discharging from the T-MAT fleet.

The _Gatekeeper_ whined as it struggled to bring its weapon to bear on the T-MAT mothership under all that firepower. The shields crackled under the stress, allowing several stray ion beams to pierce through and scorch the hull.

Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet saw their futile attempts at drawing fire away and quickly changed strategies. Now they activated their Quantum Distortion Algorithms, forming walls of quantum anomalies around the _Legacy_. Immediately, the T-MAT firepower was rendered useless as ion beams and energy blasts were deflected away into space. The smouldering _Legacy_ turned to flee, severely damaged but still breathing.

Captain Soban felt his ship shudder as it let loose its Phased Cannon Array at the T-MAT mothership. The bright yellow beam lanced into the mothership's hull, dissolving armor and ripping through bulkheads. Taken entirely by surprise, the T-MAT mothership wasted no time trying to get itself out of the line of fire.

Responding to the change in situation, the T-MAT fleet now moved to cover their mothership and fire on the Dreadnaught and the rest of the Hiigaran fleet. Their fighters swarmed in to meet the Hiigaran Acolyte IIs, and explosions lit the region around the gate.

"Captain! We can't take any more of this! The shields are barely holding!" Engineering protested as the shield generators threatened to overload.

"We've done what we could. Phase us out!" roared Captain Soban as he started thinking about the next course of action to take.

The _Gatekeeper_ vanished in a flash of light, reappearing at the safe rear of the Exodus Fleet.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, _Eye of Aaraan _Gate 34C:**

Kiir Sjet saw the situation unfolding on his computer viewscreen. Wasting no time, he stopped what he was doing and placed both his hands on the console keyboard.

"Come on, come on, let me in…" he muttered anxiously as more Hiigaran ships met their fiery doom. The Somtaaw fleets had moved in to provide fire support, but they too were being ripped to shreds.

Whatever had happened to Yuno, he thought, it had definitely come at the wrong time. He concentrated fiercely, forcing himself to do this. He knew he could, it was just a matter of practice.

"COME ON!" Kiir yelled as he saw the T-MAT turn to pick off their battlecruisers one by one. And then, he lost consciousness.

Finding himself in the virtual world of the _Pride of Hiigara_, Kiir wasted no time heading for the communications relay. Seconds later, he had jumped over into the _Legacy of Kharak_. What lay within was utter chaos. Ionic energy from the T-MAT assault had spilled through compromised sections of hull plating and armor, causing data crashes and erroneous shunts everywhere.

Kiir moved quickly to dodge the various surges of data spiralling uncontrollably through the operating systems. The situation was getting worse by the minute, and the last thing he wanted was death by corruption.

He spotted Yuno some distance away, who was also trying to avoid getting erased. Kiir deftly manoeuvred his way through the chaos and finally reached her side.

"Kiir! What are you doing here? How in Kharak did you get in again!" Yuno gaped, astounded by his sudden appearance.

"Things looked pretty bad, so I thought I'd just drop by," he replied casually, ducking to avoid another data surge, "The Mothership's in very bad shape, why aren't you hyperspacing out?"

"We would if we could. Right now, the computers are too messed up to execute anything more complex than life support. Eefrit and the rest of the bridge crew are working to switch the hyperdrive systems to manual. As soon as they achieve that, we'll be getting outta here."

"But you can still activate the Grand Core from here, can't you?" Kiir responded, observing that computer access to the Grand Core control systems was still available.

"With all this chaos, I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm already having a hard time just staying alive here, I doubt I'd be able to make it to the Grand Core…" Yuno paused as she swerved to evade a spiralling chunk of data, "… in one piece."

Kiir watched the path to the Grand Core controls, then studied the trajectories of the chaotic data for a few moments. Then, to Yuno's horrified surprise, he dashed into the corrupted mess of data.

It was like something from a Hiigaran Marine combat simulation, except the difficulty setting was probably along the lines of "Sajuuk." Projectiles of corrupted data hurled themselves at Kiir from every possible angle and direction, and he was barely able to dodge them all. If not for the fact that he was not restrained by physical limits in this virtual world, he would have been dead long ago.

After what seemed an eternity of evading bullets of data, Kiir finally reached the Grand Core control systems. Wasting no time, he immersed himself in it. A big mistake, for he had utterly no idea what would happen next.

Kiir suddenly snapped into a strange new dimension. He was drifting in space, and various symbols floated around him. Some represented friendly frigates, others indicated hostile vessels. Unsure of what to do next, he saw a T-MAT symbol breaking through a loophole in the protective quantum distortions, displayed as wireframe walls around himself.

He yelped and instinctively pushed out his hands to stop the symbol from impaling him. What happened next took him totally by surprise. The T-MAT symbol vanished, and more figures popped up to indicate coordinate data.

"What in Kharak's name?" Eefrit exclaimed as he tried to come to terms with what had just happened. Earlier, a T-MAT destroyer had manoeuvred around the quantum distortions on a collision course with the _Legacy_. In their current state, such an impact would prove fatal.

But just before it had impaled the flaming Mothership, the ship was suddenly engulfed by a dazzling hyperspace window. As the window closed, the destroyer was no longer there.

* * *

"Does someone have a reading on that hyperspatial anomaly?" Eefrit yelled over the din of crackling circuits and buzzing speakers. It was then that a massive shudder reverberated through the _Legacy_ as the main drives cut off, leaving the Mothership drifting helplessly through space. Eefrit held on for dear life, as did the rest of his crew.

"Sir, it seems that the T-MAT vessel was pulled into hyperspace not on its own will," replied an officer who had quickly punched up some data on a barely working terminal, "Given our limited sensor data, I can't confirm this, but the source of the anomaly appears to be the Grand Core."

"What the heck is going on… Yuno, if you can hear me, say something!" Eefrit shouted into his communications strap. But there was no reply.

* * *

It had quickly dawned on Kiir as to what he had done. Wasting no time, he proceeded to grab every T-MAT vessel he could see and fling them all into hyperspace. As ship after ship vanished from view, spirited away to random locations throughout the Galaxy, he saw the rest of the T-MAT fleet gathering into a defensive formation around their mothership. Clearly, they were at a loss as to what to do next.

Kiir took advantage of his chance and reached out both his hands to grab the sphere of symbols. As he did so, he felt extreme fatigue from the sudden exertion. With a mighty effort, he pushed the fleet away with whatever strength he could master. Just as he completed the task, he warped out of the system abruptly.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, _Eye of Aaraan_ Gate 34C:**

As Kiir came to groggily, he saw the concerned face of Kro bending over him.

"… Kro? What… how did you get in here?" Kiir mumbled as he tried to shake off the disorientation.

"What the hell are you doing sleeping at a time like this, we've been boarded!"

"What?" he now sprang fully awake at the news, "What do you mean?"

"Before the T-MAT fleet warped out, a frigate began launching crystal pods at the ship. Point defences shot down most of them, but one is lodged in the west side of this module. They're evacuating everyone to the hangar bays even as I speak."

"You mean, something's come aboard?"

"We're not sure what, but they say it's some sort of crystalline robot. Come on, we've no time to lose!" urged Kro.

Sure enough, the Advanced Research Module was in chaos. Scientists and non-military personnel were leaving the place in droves, while Marines swept in quickly. Kro gestured towards the exit, and the both of them began to run.

Suddenly, a heavy door blew open, revealing the T-MAT boarders. The waist-high legged robots scurried towards the defensive line of Marines, who began opening fire with their pulse rifles and energy pistols. Depleted uranium slugs barely chipped at the crystal armor while the energy bolts were dissipated almost instantly.

The robots smashed into the Marines and began tearing into the fear-stricken Hiigarans. It was a horrific sight – sharp crystalline limbs impaled flesh and bone, then withdrew as crystal particles stayed behind to grow into the surrounding tissue and kill the victims slowly. The Marines were paralysed by agony as crystals grew within their bodies and limbs, spreading rapidly and exploding out in bursts of blood and bone.

Kiir and Kro had leapt through the closing doors of the exit, coming to a rolling halt on the floor. The robots threw themselves at the obstacle, and the heavy steel door began to buckle. Marines stepped forward to pull both men to their feet, shoving them off down the corridor urgently. Another Marine began keying in a series of digits into a control panel – they were scuttling the module.

Just before the sequence could be activated, the door blew open and the robots swarmed forth. The Marines shrieked as they suffered their agonising fates. The other scientists and personnel stared in shock, then resumed running. Gunshots echoed through the place as the Marines tried to stop the invasion, but it was in vain. As the shooting died down, Kiir quickly thought up a plan and turned to Kro, who was running beside him.

"Kro, do you know how to activate the module's destruct sequence?"

"Well, yes, but I can only do that from the panel back there…"

Kiir nodded in understanding then stopped to turn around. Kro thought that his friend had gone mad, and rushed to drag him away from the incoming robots. It was then that Kiir took a deep breath and raised both his hands at the boarders. Miraculously, they were halted by some kind of invisible wall.

"By Sajuuk, how the hell did you do that Kiir?" Kro stared in amazement.

"It's a long story. I'll hold them off and you'll start the destruct sequence, alright?"

"No problem."

"Then, GO!"

Kiir pushed forward with all his might, and his barrier shifted. The invaders were perplexed by this invisible obstacle and tried their best to break through, but to no avail. Soon enough, Kiir had managed to push them all the way back into the Advanced Research Module. Kro went up to the panel and began to punch the numbers in fervently.

_"Advanced Research Module destruction sequence activated. Please withdraw to safe distance in 10 seconds."_ warbled the computer panel.

Kro quickly gestured to Kiir, who yelled an expletive and thrust the robots backwards with everything he had. The crystalline fiends were sent hurtling, crashing into several pieces of furniture. With no time left to spare, Kiir quickly dived under the closing bulkhead door along with Kro.

_"Destruction sequence activated."_

There was a tremendous roar as the Advanced Research Module detonated, blowing itself to pieces away from the _Pride of Hiigara_. The bulkhead door buckled slightly and threatened to give, but it held.

As the two scientists pulled themselves to their feet, many thoughts began running through Kiir's mind. For some reason, his abilities didn't fatigue him severely like it did the previous time on the _Sajuuk_. Perhaps it got easier with practice, he reasoned.

Kiir then realised that the evacuated scientists and personnel were looking at him with a sense of awe and respect. One by one, they began to clap until the entire corridor was filled with unending applause. Kiir felt uneasy – the last thing he wanted was to become a worshipped idol like Karan had become.

Thankfully, the applause was quickly interrupted by a broadcast from the _Legacy_. It was Yuno.

"Attention fleet, we have restored far jump capabilities. It has been determined that the hyperspace measures taken against the T-MAT are merely temporary, and they will return soon enough. However, we cannot use the gate for it is certain that the T-MAT's hacking of the gate's software will compromise our safety for the journey."

"Therefore, we will be making a jump into the Southern Fringe using the Grand Core. Regarding the lack of navigational data, this will be a risk that we have to take. The only information we have is a string of unknown variables extracted from the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_."

"We will be executing the jump immediately so as to avoid another strike by the T-MAT fleet. Since we have yet to gain a fuller understanding of the Grand Core's workings, I ask for you all not to be alarmed by any anomalous sensor data. Yuno out."

As the announcement ended, the corridor erupted in excited discussion, and Kiir was momentarily forgotten. He took the chance to sneak away unnoticed along with Kro.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

Yuno ran a check through the systems of the Mothership, which was now in a barebones operating mode. The colonists were still safe, as they had been protected by layer upon layer of armor and anti-ionic shielding.

She could not say the same of the _Legacy_, for smoke and flames still poured from its many wounds. Hull integrity was barely holding at 35 percent, while structural integrity was at a shaky 50 percent. But they were all still within the minimum hyperspace safety parameters.

"Alright. Yuno, you sure about this?" Eefrit asked, worried about this next step.

"I don't see what other route we have now, she sighed, We can only go forward."

"If so, let's go then. May Sajuuk watch over us." Eefrit commented, taking a deep breath.

"Very well. Yuno to fleet, far jump coordinates locked in!"

The Grand Core processed the data and powered up, only this time it wasn't any ordinary far jump. With a loud hum, it opened up hyperspace windows in front of every ship in the fleet. The windows, unlike the normal shimmering blue ones, dazzled with all the colours in the visible spectrum.

With a bright flash, the windows engulfed the Exodus Fleet and closed as quickly as they had opened.


	19. Prelude to the Inevitable

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 18: PRELUDE TO THE INEVITABLE

* * *

**

_"A realm of mystery, unexplored since the First Time. Not even we could reach it._

_To enter in defiance is to doom oneself."_

_- Bentusi records

* * *

_

**High orbit over Hiigara:**

The Vaygr forces hung in high Hiigaran orbit. They were devouring the debris fields and asteroids orbiting the smouldering world, building up their fleets for a decisive assault on the Exodus Fleet.

The feast would not last for long. Long range hyperspace sensors onboard ships throughout the fleets began picking up incoming signals. Pilots scrambled to their strike craft and captains stood at the ready in anticipation of the Exodus Fleet's arrival.

Only this time, it wasn't the Hiigarans.

The Six Crusades stared in horror as the mighty Progenitor fleet exited hyperspace before them. The sheer size of the _Oblivion_ terrified many pilots beyond measure.

The Vaygr strike craft leapt forth to swarm their targets, with the frigates following closely behind. They would never go down without a fight.

* * *

**Onboard the _Oblivion_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

"It is indeed interesting to note that the Hiigarans' home planet has been cleansed of all life. What is more interesting is that we did not need to lift a finger to do so," gloated the Leader as he admired the smoking cinder that was Hiigara, "What is this new fleet that we are engaging?"

"Your Greatness, they refer to themselves as the Vaygr, the Warriors of the Fringe. It would appear that they destroyed the guard fleets of Hiigara as an act of revenge. They were the other civilisation in pursuit of the _Sajuuk_'s power, it seems," an officer reported.

"Excellently done, I must say. Those pitiful Hiigarans have fallen not to us, but to their other enemies. I wonder what Karan will have to say when she returns to find her home destroyed…"

"Your Greatness! One of the Keepers is reporting a massive internal malfunction! They are reporting loss of control across all systems!"

"Bother me not with such matters," dismissed the Leader, who now glanced at his armada tearing mercilessly into the retaliating Vaygr fleets, "All that matters now is that we eliminate this ridiculous force and claim Hiigara as our prize."

"Why, of course. I will inform the ship's commander that…"

It was then that screams cut into the comm channels, screams of terror and sheer agony. They reverberated across the _Oblivion_'s bridge, shocking everyone and even the Leader himself. When the noise finally subsided, they were treated to a nightmare: infection beams firing relentlessly into ship after ship.

Now that they were being pressed on from two sides – the Vaygr were attacking from the front while the virus was infecting from the rear.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, hyperspace transit:**

"It's amazing – energy levels from the Grand Core are going off the scale!" Yuno exclaimed as she analysed the necessary readings.

"Is it because of the gravity wells we're jumping through?" enquired Eefrit, "The Grand Core may have had to compensate as a result."

"No, it can't be the gravity wells. The energy levels are more than enough to jump us to another galaxy. In fact, the Grand Core is extending its quantum wavefield even as I speak."

"Extending?"

"The Grand Core has enveloped the fleet in a high energy quantum wavefield for the jump, but it is also generating another elliptical one that is stretching out for several light years' distance."

"Now, why would the Grand Core generate another quantum wavefield? I thought the data you inputted is only supposed to bring us into the Southern Fringe…"

"You need to remember that it doesn't resemble any standard type of coordinate data. For all you know, it was supposed to do something else. Anyway, I am unable to predict the completion of the jump, since the Grand Core is now operating on totally different hyperspace principles."

"So all we can do now is wait?" sighed Eefrit.

"Yes, I'm afraid. We can take the chance to begin repairs on the _Legacy_, however. The cryogenic subsections barely escaped damage in that T-MAT salvo. I shudder to think of the consequences had they managed to penetrate the subsection armor."

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, hyperspace transit:**

Kiir Sjet and Kro Manaan were hiding in the safety of the Research Module, seeking refuge in one of the unused laboratories in the module. The crews they had saved were doing a terrific job spreading the word about Hiigara's latest "saviour," and now the entire _Pride of Hiigara_ had heard about it. It would only be a matter of time before news started spreading to the other ships in the fleet.

Kiir had taken care to lock the door with an extremely secure password; an excerpt from a sequence of characters that he had encountered in his studies of hyperspace. So complex was the sequence that it had taken him nearly a minute to key it in, and another minute for the door console to absorb and process it all.

Meanwhile, Kro had rummaged through the lab for some supplies to tide them through this "crisis." After much effort, he discovered several packets of chips and few sealed instant meals. They were just a few days away from expiration.

"We're gonna eat just that until the whole thing dies down?" Kiir muttered in slight shock. He simply could not imagine eating rubbery meats out of a plastic box for his next few meals.

"Well, if you want to, we can go out to the cafeteria. But then you'll be swarmed so badly by your fans that I doubt even your barrier can save you," Kro remarked, rolling his eyes at the thought of eating the miserable cuisines before them, "Anyway, how the hell did you acquire these abilities?"

"I'm not too sure myself. I was pretty much normal until I paid Karan Sjet a visit on the _Sajuuk_…"

"What!" Kro spluttered at the revelation, "You mean you actually got to see the Sajuuk Khar up close and personal?"

"Why, yes of course. But there really isn't anything particularly special about her. She's still a normal Hiigaran like everyone else."

"Kiir, it's not every day that a normal Hiigaran gets to meet the one who saved our entire existence, you know… okay, back to the point. What exactly happened on your visit?"

"Someone boarded the _Sajuuk_ and tried to assassinate Karan. And whoever he was, he definitely wasn't normal."

"Wait, let me get this straight. Someone tried to ASSASSINATE Karan?"

"Yeah, and he was seriously abnormal. He smashed his way through the Marines and got all the way to Karan's chamber. Bullets didn't seem to slow him much, and he simply subverted any door that tried to close him in."

"Subvert?"

"I'm not very sure myself. When he came in, he took Commander Hyll down in a few seconds. By the way, Hyll was the one who escorted me on my journeys in the Great Beyond."

"I know Hyll alright. One of the best commanders Naabal has ever seen. What next?"

"Naturally, I tried to stop him. Of course, he simply threw me off and went straight for Karan. It was then that I got it."

"Your abilities?"

"I somehow managed to mind control him for a while, then he broke my control and got pretty pissed off by the whole idea. He lunged for me, and I did the barrier thing subconsciously. The rest is history."

"You definitely made history all right… Kiir, you SAVED the Sajuuk Khar!" Kro exclaimed, his eyes widened in total amazement.

"Alright, that's enough. Let's just eat and wait this out, okay?"

That said, Kiir ripped open one of the meal packets. Whatever lay within didn't look at all appetising, but it was still food all the same. Reluctantly, he picked up a plastic spoon and began eating. Kro regarded Kiir with some disgust, then opted for a packet of chips.

The duo ate their meal in silence, peering every now and then at one of the computer viewscreens they had turned on. They were still in hyperspace transit, and no details were given on a possible time of realspace reversion.

It was then that the viewscreen flickered and shut off. A voice began flowing in from one of the speakers nearby.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Yuno enquired, "Kiir, are you there?"

"Yuno?" responded Kiir cautiously. Kro was just staring at the blank viewscreen silently, slightly shaken by the suddenness of Yuno's entry.

"Kiir! I was rather alarmed when I heard about the boarding attempt. I half-thought you were gone…"

"I'm quite alright. It's gonna take more than a few crystal robots to finish me off."

"That's reassuring to hear. Now, why in the world are you and Kro hiding in the Research Module?"

"Huh? You know Kro?"

"Why not? For heaven's sake we're from the same Kiith remember?"

"Oh, it just slipped my mind. Kro, how did you meet Yuno?" Kiir now looked to Kro inquisitively.

"Well, I sort of met her a couple of days after you left for Tanis. She moved in to work on advanced mind-machine interfacing, and that's how I got to know her," commented Kro, as he remembered the sad events that had taken place not long after, "Then she collapsed a week later for no apparent reason. Doctors said it was terminal cancer, and that she wouldn't last the week."

"That's what THEY claimed," Yuno replied, "Thankfully, my research had brought up possibilities of extending lives by uploading the consciousness into a virtual medium. They needed to save my life, and I needed to test out my work, so they uploaded me."

"That was a pretty close call, it seems," commented Kiir, marvelling at the experiences Yuno had gone through, "But how was it like after that?"

"It sure took me a while to get used to the lack of a physical body. But then, the things I could do in cyberspace quickly won me over. The idea of near-instantaneous travel to nearly any part of Hiigara and the fleet was rather pleasing, to the extent that they had to install heavy encryption to keep me out of classified data," she laughed, remembering her playful exploits so many months ago, "But if there's anything I'm going to miss, it has to be the sensation of touch and smell. Of course, I do miss the exotic cuisines of the various Kiithid too!"

"You won't miss this one, I bet," Kro countered, pointing at the packet meal Kiir was eating.

"Well, then there are exceptions. Alright, I've got to go now. It seems that the Grand Core's power output is starting to waver, could mean an imminent hyperspace exit. I'll see you around later then."

Yuno's voice died away, and the viewscreen restored its images and data readouts of their hyperspace journey. Kiir took another bite, grimaced, then flung the rest of the muck into the nearest disposal chute. He glanced at the chips Kro was holding, and the packet levitated to Kiir's receiving hands.

"Hey, you aren't supposed to do that!" Kro responded with a mock scowl.

"I'm just practising," replied Kiir, munching into the chips hungrily.

* * *

**Onboard the _Paaura_, hyperspace transit:**

"General, we are picking up anomalous energy readings from the quantum waveforms, if this keeps up we could lose hyperspace stability within the next 30 seconds!"

"Stay calm people," Qwaar ordered, "Remember what Yuno said – the Grand Core operates in ways we have yet to fully understand. Do not take any sort of diagnostic action, we can ride this one out."

However, General Qwaar himself was unnerved by the readings too. He had read books on early hyperdrive tests back at Kharak, and such anomalous readings usually resulted in the ship never returning to Kharakian orbit.

As hyperspace stability was lost and the command ship began groaning loudly from the stress, Qwaar muttered a silent prayer and hoped for the best.

* * *

**Onboard the _Epsilon V_, Bridge of Sighs:**

"What pitiful idiots. They are in possession of the most powerful weapon in all history, and they use it to shatter planets…"

"Nevertheless, I must commend them for their stubborn resistance. They are bringing down the initial plan much more quickly than I could have anticipated. It seems that I will have no choice but to send everything we have at them…"

"Still, it is a great pity that they are unable to unleash the true potential of that ship. It is now time for one who is worthy to step forward…"

The persona sent an order through the neurocircuitry, and the fleet responded by leaping to hyperspace.

He no longer called himself Luca Paktu.

* * *

**The Southern Fringe:**

A place of mystery, for no one has set foot in it since the First Time. And yet, the shimmering windows in realspace now try to change all of that once and for all.

The rainbow screens slid backwards to pull the vessels into realspace. Five of them were monolithic in size, one of which was badly wounded.

The jump windows vanished from sight, but the journey had yet to end.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

"We have returned to normal space. Hyperspace jump… wait, jump is incomplete!" Yuno exclaimed.

"I don't understand this either… Yuno, what's causing this?"

"Unknown, Eefrit. The quantum wavefield is not collapsing as it normally should. Instead, it is still extending farther from our current position!"

"But we have reverted to realspace successfully, right?"

"Of course. However, we will be unable to initiate another far jump until the quantum wavefield shuts down completely. Not that it really matters, for we have cleared the gravity well buffer zone. We can jump on standard hyperdrives within the Southern Fringe without trouble."

"Sounds good to me, and by Kharak, this place looks completely different from everything I've seen thus far."

"What could you expect, not even telescopes could peer beyond the gravity well buffer zone. _Faal Corum_ reports that they have begun surveying the nearby space, and will be coming up with preliminary star charts within the hour."

The space that lay behind them was black and white, with light scattered in gross and unpredictable directions by the black holes and collapsed stars. They could no longer see the Galactic Core from where they were now.

But what lay before was surprisingly different. Millions of stars gleamed with sparkling brilliance, some of which lit up the surrounding space in flares of orange and yellow. For a region near the edges of the Galaxy, there was an incredible amount of cosmic activity going on. One could have easily mistaken it for a scene from the Inner Rim.

The scene was suddenly distorted as the fabric of space time bent and crumpled. Alarms began going off as sensors began picking up major quantum waveform distortions.

"Emergency alert, hyperspatial anomalies detected! The space time continuum in the region is becoming unstable, it seems to be caused by the Grand Core's quantum wavefield!"

"Are we in any immediate danger, Yuno?"

"I can't tell for sure. Sensors are going crazy at the sudden event, I'm trying to recalibrate."

With an abrupt shockwave that reverberated mildly through the Exodus fleet, the Grand Core collapsed its quantum wavefield, having accomplished its task. Ships shuddered, planets moved, and stars shifted as the shockwave continued on through the fabric of space time.

* * *

The infected fleet dropped from hyperspace suddenly as the shockwave reached the Hiigaran System. Alarms went off and the organic ships began self-repairs on areas that had received mild damage.

T-MAT vessels converging on the gate they had been spirited from were pulled from hyperspace abruptly. They too were surprised, but quickly went about preparing to return to hyperspace. They would not let the Hiigarans off so easily.

The shockwave soon dissipated.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, the Southern Fringe:**

"Did you feel that?"

"Sure I did, and it's not me," Kiir quickly spoke, alarmed by the sudden shudder.

"Whatever it was, it can't be good," Kro said as he turned to look at the viewscreen for clues. Instead, he found chaos. Bemoaning his lack of hyperspace knowledge, he beckoned Kiir to come over and decipher the data for him.

"It looks to me like a major imbalance just took place in the space time continuum," he muttered as he scrolled down and read all the numbers, "I didn't think the Grand Core would be capable of such power."

"What did it do? I thought the Grand Core was just an improved Far Jumper?"

"It's more than that, if you look at the data here. What it just did was collapse a rather large quantum wavefield. Why it even generated such a long range field in the first place is beyond me."

"So, what are the consequences of such a collapse?"

"There can be many consequences depending on the circumstances. For one thing, we could be looking at a major change in the nature of the space time continuum at whichever place the wavefield was targeting."

Kiir looked at the data again, and continued to sigh at the wonders of the Grand Core. There was so much more about hyperspace he had yet to learn.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

The shockwave has dissipated, surrounding realspace is returning to normality. The Grand Core has powered down completely and is recharging.

"Seems like it drained all its energy reserves. How long do we need to wait before we can use it again?" Eefrit asked.

"At its current rate of recharge, about an hour or so. That last quantum wavefield event was really something, considering that far jumping the fleet across the Galaxy barely takes1 percentof its power."

Eefrit's attention was drawn to the beeping computer next to him. It was a preliminary star chart drawn up by the _Faal Corum_. He quickly studied the chart and decided on a destination.

"Now, I have no idea where we should go to from here. According to the star chart, there's a planetary system about three light years from our current position. It's perfectly within reach on conventional hyperdrives. We should head there first to harvest resources and conduct proper repairs."

"Agreed. Attention fleet, stand by to synchronise hyperdrives on my mark." Yuno announced.

The various captains and commanders of the carriers and ships began reporting in, giving the green light for the jump. A minute or so later, the fleet was assembled properly for hyperspace.

"Synchronised Hyperspace Jump initiated!"

Blue windows of hyperspace opened up to engulf the Exodus fleet, but they became distorted and flickered out of existence. Yuno was alarmed by the event.

"Hyperspace jump failed!"

"And I think I know the reason why…" Eefrit was now staring in horror at all the red dots appearing rapidly on the sensors screens, "Progenitor Keepers are decloaking around us! It's a trap!"

The fleet wasted no time in bringing up quantum waveform distortions around the _Legacy_. The mothership was still very badly damaged from their previous T-MAT skirmish, and there was no way it would survive a Keeper encounter.

But this would be one heck of a tough fight. The Keeper force they were now facing was greater than any they had encountered so far. Over a hundred of the mechanical guardians now sought to succeed in their task of protecting their masters' legacy once and for all.

Even as the fighters scrambled to counter the drone swarms launching from the Keeper bays, there was a feeling of imminent doom spreading through the fleet. The Keepers were too close for the Somtaaw command ships to use their Siege Cannons, and they were still lacking many ships from the T-MAT battle.

Just before the Drones reached the Acolyte IIs, they collided with an invisible barrier. Upon seeing what had happened, the Acolyte fighters banked away sharply to avoid a similar fate. The Keepers moved in with their ion cannons blazing, but the beams were deflected away harmlessly as well. The Exodus Fleet was now protected by a huge quantum distortion field.

As the fleet tried to understand what was going on, a large hyperspace window began to open above the _Legacy of Kharak_. The window receded, revealing the outline of a large vessel. It was clearly Progenitor in origin, built on the same scale as the _Sajuuk_, but of a completely different design.

Yuno quickly focused all visual sensors on the ship as it exited hyperspace completely. Meanwhile, she activated the translation software onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_. Somehow, she got the feeling that she didn't need any further confirmation. Nonetheless, the translation of several inscriptions on the ship's hull quickly came in to erase any last doubts.

_He Whose Wings Guard What Is._

Yuno could say no more.

* * *

**Onboard the _Oblivion_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

"Your Greatness, it is my pleasure to report that we have exterminated the stray infection. All infected ships have been neutralised."

"That is good to hear. What about the Vaygr forces resisting us from the front?"

"The frontal guard managed to hold them in check, giving them the illusion that they were actually winning. Now the battlecruisers are moving in to neutralise them as well."

"Very well. Keep up the assault, we must take Hiigara at all costs…"

"Emergency alert, hyperspace signatures detected at our rear!" came the frantic cry of one of the sensors officers, "Sensors are picking up a large fleet comparable in number to the Vaygr fleet!"

Sure enough, a large fleet began to shimmer into reality, poised to strike the Progenitor fleet from the rear. The Progenitor fleet had already lost a good quarter of its ships to the earlier infection, and the addition of another fleet simply did not bode well for them.

As the ships completed their hyperspace exit, a large mothership-class vessel began to return to normal space. It was the needleship that had annihilated the Kadeshi fleet, the ship that used to be an Imperial research station.

The _Epsilon V_'s jump window closed behind it, and it immediately opened communications with the _Oblivion_.

"Greetings Progenitor Fleet, we have come to claim what is ours."

"Miserable scum, do you actually believe yourselves to be capable of overcoming us, your masters?" scoffed the Leader defiantly, "We have swept through anything that dared to stand against us throughout all history. You do not even possess the _Sajuuk_'s power, so what hope do you have?"

"Such a predictable reaction, it seems that you require more convincing…"

The _Epsilon V_ sent out a powerful pulsed signal that echoed through the metallic hulls of every ship around Hiigara. Within moments, Keepers throughout the Progenitor fleet began reporting system crashes and logic system subversion. As their containment cores overloaded and failed, the infection spread rapidly and unchecked. Soon, the Progenitor fleet had been halved from their original number.

All their Keepers were now a part of the infected fleet, their own weapons turned against them.

The Leader was horrified at the sudden turn in events.

"What do you think, Master?" asked the voice sarcastically, "Now we will consume the rest of your fleet. Rest assured, though, that we will do a good job in finishing the Hiigarans you so despise. We will also claim the _Sajuuk_ that you pursued over many light years, and finish your quest for domination on your behalf."

"Silence, you infidels!" roared the Leader as he cut off all communications, "Target the Quantum Pulse Cannon at their mothership immediately, send the monsters to hell!"

"Affirmative!"

The monolithic _Oblivion_ began turning around slowly to face the infected fleet. Once its cannon had achieved a lock onto the _Epsilon V_, the massive quantum focusing arrays spread open to lend energy to the primary focusing cannon.

* * *

**Onboard the _Epsilon V_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

There was no more Luca Paktu, only Kaark remained. The entity had searched through the mind of its host Hiigaran to find a befitting name, and discovered the Kharakian word signifying the Unknown. It had regarded the word with interest, then decided to adopt its usage.

Kaark looked at the _Oblivion_ that was now pointed towards his ship. The massive arrays were now channelling pure quantum energy towards a single point on the frontal cannon, which was starting to glow a brilliant blue. Calmly, he sent a command through the _Epsilon V_'s control systems.

The _Epsilon V_ fired off all eight of its long range infection weapons at once, and the crimson beams struck the _Oblivion_'s frontal cannon. The infection spread quickly, subverting circuitry and any unfortunate soul who happened to be onboard. However, it remained contained to the primary cannon, and did not spread to the rest of the superstructure.

As the plague progressed, the cannon's brilliant blue glow dissipated. It soon became evident that the _Oblivion_ was not one, but two ships melded together as one large vessel. The smaller vessel to the front began to roar into life, tearing away from the metallic frames that held it in place to the rest of the _Oblivion_'s superstructure. The Progenitor Leader could only watch in horror and anger as he realised the significance of that ship.

They had found the derelict vessel in an abandoned portion of their home galaxy during the early days of the Rebellion. Things were going badly for them, and they had little time to do an extensive analysis of the abandoned ship. The Rebellion's scientists had then built the massive _Oblivion_ around it, using the ship's primary weapon as a focusing point for their superweapon.

They were ignorant of the fact that the derelict was a superweapon in itself.

They never had the time to confirm the ship's identity, for their defeat at Karos forced them all to go into cryo-sleep and minimal power modes to evade detection. When the _Eye of Aaraan_'s activation had awakened them fully, they made the costly mistake of giving their all to capture the _Sajuuk_.

With a final roar, the last connecting beams ripped away and the cannon ship moved on its own power. It too was built on the same scale as the _Sajuuk_. It too was of a completely different design from the Great Maker.

The Leader stared in rage and utter disbelief as Kaark hacked through their communications systems to beam across a mocking message.

"Master, behold the _Qwaar Jet_."

The _Qwaar Jet_ now pointed its frontal cannon, a sharp spike with several lesser spikes jutting out around it like petals of a flower, at the remains of the _Oblivion_'s superstructure and its fleet. Light began refracting around the legendary ship as it began powering up its weapon at a speed never before seen by the _Oblivion_ and its fleet.

Now various quantum arrays began spreading out from the _Qwaar Jet_ as it bloomed like a flower in space, each passing second adding brilliance and sparkle to the sphere of quantum energies gathered at its front.

Then, the _Qwaar Jet_ let loose the sphere of energy, which exploded into a wide-area shockwave beam that pummelled through the Progenitors, Vaygr and Hiigara itself. The Vaygr Crusades vaporised immediately while the tougher Progenitor vessels provided more resistance, disintegrating several seconds later.

Hiigara was the last left standing, but it too would not survive the blast. The quantum shockwave stripped the planet bare of its atmosphere, reverberating through the crust and into the mantle. Soon, Hiigara's core shattered and released millions of years of pressure that had been present since the planet's birth.

As the shockwave beam lost power and eventually disappeared, there was no more Hiigara or Angel Moon. Neither was there any Progenitor fleet or Warrior of the Fringe.

The _Qwaar Jet_ retracted its quantum arrays as it powered down to normal energy levels. Kaark turned away from the beautiful scene of debris now floating around where Hiigara used to be. The next stage of the plan now fell into place, and the newly-acquired Keepers now warped into hyperspace. They would scatter outwards from this star system, bringing more ships and races to join their cause. It would only be a matter of time before the Galaxy would be enslaved.

Kaark smiled at the thought.

It was time to end the Age of Sjet.


	20. Complication

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 19: COMPLICATION

* * *

**

_"It tears at us! Devouring memory, rewriting song, turning our own bodies against us! Binding us! This cannot be!_

_We will not be Bound!"_

_- Bentusi records

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

"By the gods, is that ship really what I think it is?" Eefrit gaped at the amazing sight of the newly-appeared Progenitor vessel.

"Eefrit, there is no doubt about it… that vessel is the Guardian, _Koshiir Ra_! And its capabilities… they're nothing like what I've ever seen before! That ship alone is responsible for the quantum distortion field that is protecting us from harm right now!"

"That's incredible alright, but we don't have all day," Eefrit commented as he glanced at several sensor readings, "That field's energy levels are starting to fluctuate, it's not going to stand there forever!"

"You're right Eefrit. I've done a quick scan of the field, and it seems to be a one-way barrier. We can move out and fire through from here, but the Keepers and their firepower can't get in."

"Excellent. Eefrit to Qwaar, do you read?"

"General Qwaar standing by on the _Paaura_ here. What can we do?"

"Scans have revealed that the distortion field will not stop our firepower, but will halt all external influences. We can use this chance to…"

"… Siege them? I get your point Eefrit. Making preps to fire Siege Cannons, Qwaar out."

The three Somtaaw command ships slowly manoeuvred to get their cannons into position while the rest of the fleet got out of their firing path. Meanwhile, the _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field stood defiantly in the face of the Keepers' fire.

_Paaura_ fired first, followed by the _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_. Three glittering spheres of high-energy plasma raced through the empty void of space, passing harmlessly through the distortion field and into the Keeper fleet.

When the spheres reached the centre of the Keeper fleet, they detonated at the same time, releasing deadly plasma shockwaves that spread through the Keeper forces. Drones exploded and Keepers faltered. Even with the protection of their shields, it was still enough to take out a good third of the Keepers and damage the rest considerably. However, the damage dealt was still not enough – even in their damaged condition, the Keepers would still have a good chance of defeating the Exodus fleet.

Meanwhile, _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field continued to lose power.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, the Southern Fringe:**

"_Koshiir Ra_… so the legends are indeed true…"

"Whatever the legends are, we're going to become lost legends too if this keeps up," Kiir argued, his hands placed upon a computer console. He was trying to get into the system, but was encountering great difficulty. Perhaps he was not up to the task of doing multiple entrances and exits all in the time frame of one day yet.

"Kiir, what are you doing?" Kro could not understand why his friend was now grasping the sides of a computer console rather tightly, "What are you trying to do?"

"You wouldn't understand it if I told you now," Kiir uttered, eyes closed in fierce concentration. Beads of sweat were now rolling down his forehead, but still his attempts met with failure.

The situation outside looked rather bleak – Keepers were phasing out and hyperspacing back in to increase their energy levels. With each jump, the ancient machines became ever-more nimble and agile, with higher power ion blasts each time. Sensors were now pointing at a possible 50 increase in ion firepower alone.

Acolyte II fighters stood by to engage the Drones should the distortion field fail. Ion frigates were trying their best to target the Keepers, firing through the distortion field with their aqua ionic beams. However, the Keepers had gained enough manoeuvrability to make half their shots miss. Even the torpedoes had trouble keeping up with the Keepers.

The only ships that were successfully hitting the Keepers were the battlecruisers and destroyers, which were firing with their arbiter cannons. The battlecruisers' ion turrets faced the same fate of the ion frigates, unable to unleash its full damage on the evasive Keepers.

Kiir made one last effort, then collapsed from the fatigue. Kro rushed forward to help the scientist up.

"Kiir, are you alright? Don't scare me there, say something!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Paaura_, the Southern Fringe:**

General Qwaar watched as the Keepers danced all around the distortion field, maintaining their merciless attacks on the distortion field before them. The Siege Cannon was in the midst of recharging, but the process was painfully slow.

"How much time before we can fire the cannon again?" Qwaar asked urgently, "We need all the firepower we can get."

"We're already diverting all excess power to the Siege Cannon, as are the _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_. Estimated time to full charge – eight minutes."

"The problem is that we may not have eight minutes! Helm, bring us to the rim of the distortion field, and fire all our pulse cannons at the Keepers immediately."

"Affirmative," came the reply. Almost instantly, the entire ship shuddered as it banked sharply and began moving towards the edges of the distortion field. General Qwaar thought for a short while, then quickly gave out more orders.

"General Qwaar to the _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_, follow our course and open fire with all pulse cannons!"

The three great ships of the Somtaaw manoeuvred closely to the edges of the _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field. As soon as they were within range, the command ships' heavy pulse cannons came online, firing bolts of energy at the Keepers outside. The plasma bolts, charged with an energy signature exactly opposite to that of the Keepers' shielding, pierced the ships' barriers to scorch their hulls.

Meanwhile, the _Legacy of Kharak_ was undergoing emergency repairs. Resource collectors and Workers had launched from the carriers and motherships, patching up hull breaches and repairing torn superstructure.

Ion beams fired from the battlecruisers and frigates, as well as torpedoes and mass driver slugs. The Exodus Fleet was giving its all to bring down as many Keepers as possible before the distortion field failed.

_Koshiir Ra_ itself seemed detached from the entire battle, hovering serenely in space. It was a beautiful ship.

It had twin sword-like proboscis like the _Sajuuk_, only they were shorter and possessed no superweapons within. They were side by side, to give the impression that the entire vessel was two lesser versions of _Sajuuk_ fixed together.

Closer to the rear of the legendary vessel, large arrays resembling those at Chimera station jutted out at the ship's sides. They were probably the projection devices responsible for the massive field that now protected the Hiigaran fleet.

Lastly, near the rear end where the two halves of the ship were linked together, there was a large concentric array facing the front, gazing into the large gap between the twin swords. It seemed to resemble a possible superweapon, if the _Koshiir Ra_ indeed had any.

Whatever was taking place onboard the vessel, however, no one knew.

It was then that the _Koshiir Ra_ seemed to realise what was happening, and it began to take another course of action. The space surrounding the projection arrays shimmered as the quantum output began changing.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

"Priority alert, anomaly detected in the _Koshiir Ra_!"

"I get your point," replied Eefrit, who now tried to make sense of the new sensor readings, "Energy levels are shooting through the roof! What could possibly be going on!"

"I have no idea either, these readings are completely alien to me. I suppose all we can do is watch…"

Everyone in the Exodus Fleet watched in awe as the projection arrays of the _Koshiir Ra_ began glowing with increasing brilliance. As the glow amplified, the distortion field around the fleet began changing, as did the incoming fire.

No longer was the incoming enemy fire being deflected. Now, ion beams came slamming into the field, only to accumulate in vermillion spheres of energy. Plasma bolts from the Drones were also halted in the same way, gathering in dazzling dots all around the distortion field.

The accumulation of energies continued for some time, then stopped abruptly. Any further shots that came in were deflected in the normal way, but the gathered energies remained. What happened next took everyone entirely by surprise.

The energies were released in an amazing array of beams, raining down upon the Keepers and Drones. The mechanical guardians had not anticipated such an attack, and many failed to phase out in time. The Keeper fleet was lit up by the light of many exploding ships.

The event had yet to end. Now the quantum distortion field began to refract light, and it soon became plainly visible to the naked eye. Without warning, the field sprang outwards like a repulsor on steroids. The resulting shockwave dealt the finishing blow, reducing the enemy numbers to a miserable dozen.

The quantum distortion field was no longer present, but Yuno and Eefrit were no longer worried.

"Scans indicate that only 12 of the Keepers remain, along with 40 of their Drones. observed Yuno."

"Good to hear that. Eefrit to fleet, engage and neutralise."

The Exodus Fleet leapt forward to finish the kill while the shimmering glow around _Koshiir Ra_ dissipated and faded.

* * *

**Onboard Nalthoran orbital station _Stargazer_, high orbit over Nalthora:**

They walked about the bridge, seeing to their monotonous regular duties. Some checked for communications updates from the Imperial Hive, some checked the status of the various satellites in orbit, and some focused on their task of scanning the Nalthoran System for hostiles.

The Nalthorans were a considerably advanced fledging race since the start of the Homeworld Wars, when the Exiles reclaimed Hiigara. Having managed their planet's resources carefully throughout their entire existence, they were content to remain bound to a terrestrial surface. However, that did not stop their endless quest for knowledge. In fact, the Nalthorans' mastery over innate ship systems has been rumoured to rival even that of the Unbound races.

The fallout of the Exiles' return made the pacifistic people realise the true situation they were in. Aware that the Galaxy was no longer the safe paradise of long ago, the Queen gave the radical order for a new fleet to be built in preparation for the worst.

And now, more than a century later, Nalthora stands proudly as one of the last domains of peace in the known Galaxy, or so they believed.

"Sir, I think you'd better come look at this," an officer gestured to his supervisor, who walked over quickly in response, "Long range scanners have just picked up a high energy hyperspace signature approaching the outskirts of the star system."

"How much time before contact?"

"Estimated time before exit over Nalthora, 15 minutes. We can't determine the nature of the ship until it gets much closer."

"Continue monitoring the ship and report any updates immediately."

The two officers watched intently as the red blip entered the Nalthoran System. Moments later, data started streaming in as the computers scanned the signature in detail and matched it with profiles in the databases.

"… It's a T-MAT vessel," commented the officer, eliciting a sigh of relief from his supervisor, "Standard procedures I presume?"

"Of course," the supervisor replied as he picked up a communications handset, "Attention Imperial Command, T-MAT ship on incoming vector."

"Roger that _Stargazer_, prepare for trade contact."

* * *

The Nalthoran fleet, while not on the same scale as those of the old Galactic Empires, was still a magnificent sight to behold. A hundred frigates hovered around a squad of three carriers, which were further defended by dozens of ships in the destroyer and cruiser class.

_Stargazer_ itself was another impressive sight. The Nalthoran people had taken pains to equip themselves with a large-scale orbital station to handle their cosmic needs. The result was a near-mothership class space station with construction and research facilities. Now the station shone in the light of the Nalthoran sun, awaiting the arrival of the alien visitor.

Sure enough, a yellow hyperspace window pierced through the fabric of realspace, pulling back to reveal the crystalline T-MAT megaship. The megaship drifted silently in space for a while, then began to approach the _Stargazer_.

_"Greetings, people of Nalthora. We ask to speak with your Queen immediately regarding a most pressing matter."_

"And you shall have it," returned a majestic voice, "I am Queen Dosis of the Nalthoran people. We are eternally grateful as a civilisation to your trade deals in all these years. May I enquire about the purpose of your visit today?"

_"Events in the Galaxy have taken a turn for the worst. The Hiigaran scourge has released yet another ancient horror, one which threatens to exceed even the Beast plague we all faced many years ago. Our scouts have received reports that Hiigara is no more, and a new virus now spreads outwards from the Hiigaran system."_

"A new virus?"

_"Indeed. The new virus is now overrunning worlds across the Inner Rim, and it is only a matter of time before they reach your system. In fact, we estimate their arrival in a matter of weeks."_

"But, we have utterly no way to handle a techno-organic plague similar to the Beast! Why, our valiant quest to assist the Alliance during that terrible war resulted in tragedy, when we lost an entire carrier fleet to the thing."

_"Naturally so, for this new entity possesses the power of the Ancients. In the light of our centuries-long trade links, we feel compelled to assist you."_

"But why so?"

_"The Hiigarans have effectively doomed themselves this time. Without their Bentusi protectors, they are now vulnerable and helpless. We T-MAT now see the errors of the Bentusi ways, and seek to save the few sane sentients that now remain. We are transmitting to you the coordinates to a trans-galactic hyperspace gate."_

"Trans-galactic?"

_"Yes, one that will take us all to another galaxy where we can start anew, it took us considerable orbits to complete. It lies beyond the Great Wastelands not far from here. There is only one problem."_

"Which is?"

_"The safest possible route from your system to the gate is naturally the most direct one. Move too far out to the rim and the Vaygr will threaten. Move too close to the Core and you may fall prey to the entity. However, it passes right through a fortified Hiigaran territory."_

"… Unless I'm mistaken, you are referring to Tanis Base?"

_"That is correct. Tanis Base has been equipped with several hyperspace inhibitors that were installed recently. They will halt your evacuation fleet unless extreme measures are taken. For that, we T-MAT will support you. We must not let the Hiigarans follow us to the new utopia, or they shall bring their curse along with them."_

"By extreme measures, I take it you are proposing a decisive strike to destroy Tanis Base?"

_"It is necessary. We also require that while you make preparations to load your people onto the colony ships, you will need to dispatch your military fleet to these designated coordinates."_

"Why, these coordinates correspond to the Bentusi Ruins sector, whatever for should we go to such a god forsaken place?"

_"We have recently picked up a massive energy surge in the sector, and only one ship in the Galaxy has the power to do that. We must add that it would be a bonus if we could take the _Sajuuk_ with us."_

"The _Sajuuk?_ That is sacrilege, we will violate the divine rights of the Sajuuk Khar…"

_"Karan is not worthy to be the Sajuuk Khar, not after all the disasters she has caused. That is why we would prefer yourself to take the helm instead, for your practices and policies throughout history have been most protective of the Galaxy's eternal quest for peace. That is all we have to say."_

"… I will consider your suggestions very seriously."

_"Excellent. We must take our leave now. If you are agreeable, simply transmit to us your intent using the trade unit we have provided you. Farewell."_

With that, the megaship disappeared into hyperspace as quickly as it had come.

* * *

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

"… And that was what the T-MAT had to say," finished Queen Dosis. She now looked to the ministers and officials in attendance for advice, "What are your views on this?"

"It is very disturbing to hear about the new developments regarding the infection entity," commented one, "I would hence agree to the idea of a mass planet-wide evacuation to orbit."

"May I raise a point of information," added another, "The previous Beast infection never came within 20 light years of Nalthoran space. It might be possible that the new plague may be stopped in a similar way."

As the discussions continued in the court, the Nalthoran Queen was wracked by worry. She had led her people through many trials and tribulations, but nothing as severe as this one. Now for the first time in memory, their entire existence was at stake. Several minutes later, the discussions died down as the officials gave their recommendation.

"Your majesty, we would recommend immediate compliance with the T-MAT plan."

The Queen took it all in, and considered the matter for what seemed an eternity. On one hand was their very existence, and on the other was the sacrilegious act of snatching the _Sajuuk_ from the Hiigaran Sajuuk Khar. This was so as her people also regarded Sajuuk as their ultimate, sole god, and any attempt to defy his doing, or his representative, would not go well with the masses.

But she had to sacrifice something for the greater good.

Queen Dosis sighed as she reached a decision.

"Give orders for immediate evacuation, and dispatch the fleet to the Bentusi Ruins at once!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, Bridge of Sighs:**

Kaark walked through the hallways of the legendary vessel, marvelling at its intricacies and capabilities. Though the infection had taken place hours ago, there was still much to learn, and many more regions unreached by the infection nanites.

His hand ran along the wall of the corridor as the bridge beckoned. Stepping into the large room, Kaark observed a capsule at its centre.

An Unbound docking terminal.

Kaark walked closer to get a better look, wiping the layers of dust off its transparent surface. This would probably explain why he could not achieve perfect control of the _Qwaar Jet_ despite dispersing control nanites throughout the ship's systems.

He regarded it with interest, then smiled as he prepared to get in.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

"Enemy forces have been neutralised," reported Eefrit pleasantly, sinking into his command chair for some rest, "I think we're safe for now."

"I've just run a sensor sweep of the surrounding area, and it appears that we are alone. We should take the chance to harvest resources, for I have detected a small asteroid field approximately three light years away."

"We could send the _Kuun Lan _and _Faal Corum_ to do that. Meanwhile, we should try to get a science team onboard the _Koshiir Ra_. I'm dying to find out what it can really do."

"Of course. Even as we speak, I am assembling a team to do just that. However, the _Pride of Hiigara_ medical bay reports that Kiir is unconscious from some severe mental exertion."

"He'll get over it I guess, but we should not let him delay the project."

"… Very well then, I shall dispatch the team without Kiir."

Yuno sent the command through the fleet networks, and ships began launching from the carriers and motherships. While the _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_ entered hyperspace, various corvettes and shuttles began approaching the _Koshiir Ra_.

Now fully powered down, the Progenitor vessel looked more like a derelict. As the rays of light from the surrounding space danced across its hull, it seemed to add to the mystery shrouding the ship.


	21. Cancer

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 20: CANCER

* * *

**

_The Imperial Frontier is an invisible boundary several light years to the north of the Sarum Dust Clouds. Beyond this border lies space where no Hiigaran ship can enter and leave intact. In fact, a considerable region of space north of the Frontier is heavily fortified Imperial-Raider territory. Owing to the balance of power between Hiigaran and Imperial forces, that territory has remained static in dimension since the end of the Beast War._

_At least until the End Time came. The Vaygr incursions gave the Imperials a chance to expand their territories, bringing more systems and nebulae into their sphere of influence. By the time Karan was able to beat the Vaygr back to the Eastern Fringe, Imperial territory encompassed nearly all of the Northern Galaxy._

_It has been the Imperials' dream to vanquish the Hiigarans and complete the Genocide once and for all. Defeated many times before, they will not give up easily. Unless…

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, the Southern Fringe:**

Kiir Sjet awoke sleepily, finding himself in a familiar-looking place. He quickly determined he was in the infirmary yet again.

"Gee, I've got to stop being a regular customer of this place…" he uttered, as he tried to shake the grogginess out of his mind. Once he had pulled himself together, he got out of the bunk and headed for the door.

The door slid open, and he tried to get his bearings right. How could he get from here to the Research Module?

Then a bunch of engineers turned round the corner and spotted Kiir. They gasped upon seeing him, and began moving quickly towards their saviour. Kiir groaned, and took off down a different corridor.

His luck took a turn for the worst when he found himself hurtling out into the main mess hall, knocking someone over in the process. His head spinning, Kiir pulled himself to his feet, only to be swarmed by masses of newfound fans and curious scientists.

"Kiir Sjet! Is that really you?"

"You saved my life back there!"

"How did you do that?"

And the chatter went on and on. Kiir tried desperately to get himself some breathing space, but they just kept closing in. He tried to ask them to clear away, but his words were drowned out by the excited discussions and questions of the hall.

At last, he could tolerate it no more. He yelled an expletive and thrust his hands outwards, causing a telekinetic barrier to explode out and push the alarmed people away. Upon seeing the stunned looks on the people's faces, Kiir took the chance to escape through a side exit.

Kiir sighed as he ran down the endless maze of corridors. He could not stay on this ship any longer, he had to get back to the _Legacy of Kharak_. As if to answer his prayers, Kro Manaan stepped out of a room and signalled to him.

"Looks like you're alright now. Come with me to the strike craft hangar bays, our pulsar gunship's there."

"You mean you actually had pilot training?" Kiir was surprised by the sudden revelation.

"Not exactly. While you were out cold, Yuno told me to bring you to the _Koshiir Ra_. I'm pretty sure you're very excited to get on board that ship."

"_Koshiir Ra_? Of course, I'd give anything to study that relic!"

"So basically, Yuno will take remote control of the gunship and send us to the _Koshiir Ra_, no steering required."

"Okay, I get the point. Now we'd better leave before those rabid people find me again…"

Kro laughed at the thought, then beckoned to Kiir to follow him.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Bentusi Ruins:**

Karan waited impatiently for the ship's energy levels to return to normal. She had put the ship through so much that it would require at least a few hours of non-stop charging to restore the _Sajuuk_'s consecutive far jump capabilities.

All this while, she was gripped by an uneasy silence on the intra-galactic Hiigaran frequencies. It was as though there was no other Hiigaran out there.

Karan gazed sadly at the majestic ruins of the _Bentus_. Memories came flooding back, and she tried to shut the especially emotional ones out of her head. But those were powerful memories, almost like the ones she possessed about the Burning of Kharak. Remembering her current status as the Sajuuk-Khar, Karan quickly wiped off a tear rolling down her face.

Now she looked at the sensors view, and wondered why they had failed to notice the hyperspace gate's existence in the area. The gate was merely a few thousand kilometres from this place, and yet they had failed to detect it when they passed through the region to reclaim the Core. Was it the dust clouds, perhaps asteroids?

The _Sajuuk_ was now hiding in a thick dust cloud several dozen kilometres below the Bentusi wreckage. No one would be able to find them here, or so Karan had hoped.

Her mind was immediately alerted to the sudden addition of new ship contacts. Quickly zooming to sensors view, Karan watched as the Nalthoran battle fleet dropped out of hyperspace on the outskirts of the debris field.

The fleet did not have battlecruiser-class vessels, but the large number of frigates, destroyers and heavy cruisers was still reason enough for worry. As the three carriers began launching their strike craft and various boarding ships, Karan knew that they were not here for a normal scientific expedition.

Silently, she sent the warning through the _Sajuuk_'s ship network, and powered everything down to minimal power mode. Karan observed the Nalthorans' every movement, trying to understand their purpose in coming here.

When the fleet began sending probes into every dust cloud in the vicinity, Karan knew that it was time to leave. As she prepared to initiate an emergency hyperspace jump, her Unbound senses alerted her to the presence of a spy.

A cloaked T-MAT megaship within the same dust cloud was now approaching the _Sajuuk_ with considerable speed.

Before she could react, the megaship seemed to realise what was happening. It decloaked instantly and fired off a salvo of high speed projectiles. The _Sajuuk_'s shields sprang up a second too late – the projectiles embedded themselves deeply into the _Sajuuk_'s hull.

The projectiles were no ordinary ammunition – they were T-MAT designed weapons designed to incapacitate Unbound victims. Moments later, the projectiles unleashed a torrent of electromagnetic energy through the _Sajuuk_'s neural net systems.

Karan was saved only by virtue of the emergency disconnection procedures. Now she quickly descended to her feet as the anti-gravity chamber powered down. Deprived of her control, the _Sajuuk_ now drifted like a derelict, shields offline.

The command room doors opened, and various crews rushed in to disconnect Karan from the system. As they went about detaching the wires and cables from the interfaces in her skull, Karan began giving orders to repel all boarders.

The sacrilege had begun.

* * *

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

"What is the status of the mothership conversion?" Queen Dosis enquired, "You understand that the matter is most pressing and crucial to our civilisation's well-being?"

"Of course, my queen," replied the official, "The _Stargazer_ is being outfitted with fusion drives and a hyperspace module even as we speak. We expect the superstructure overhaul to be completed within the week."

"What about the evacuation fleet? How long will it take to put together a colony ship force large enough for the populace?"

"I'm afraid that will take several years. For us to build the required number of ships to carry our entire population would take too much time. According to my estimates, we can only assemble enough to take a million at most…"

"A million?" Dosis roared, bringing her fist down hard on her armrest, "I will not have this. You will find a way or I shall order the execution of your entire clan!"

"… Why, yes, my queen. I will contact the T-MAT fleet for assistance on the matter…"

"Very well then. You are dismissed."

The Nalthoran Queen waved the official off and got up from her throne. She walked towards the grand windows of the throne room, basking in the golden rays of the majestic Nalthoran sun.

Eons of history, and now they would be forced to abandon their home.

Dosis maintained a steely exterior, but wept silently inside.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, the Southern Fringe:**

Kiir stepped out of the pulsar gunship and stared in awe. Kro and himself were now among the first few Hiigarans to step into one of the greatest Progenitor artefacts of all time.

Scientists and engineers were walking around hurriedly, taking readings and studying the inner workings of the _Koshiir Ra_. Meanwhile, an exploration team was now touring the ship, recording the positions of the various facilities and trying to find the bridge.

Kro came out of the gunship and stared in awe for a while as well. He soon regained his composure and passed a communications strap to Kiir. No sooner had Kiir worn the device on his left wrist did Yuno's voice come through.

"Kiir Sjet, it's good to have you with us again."

"Ah, no problem. I'm pretty much honoured to be given the opportunity for such an experience."

"Alright, I'll cut to the chase. You and Kro are supposed to join Exploration Team 2 to help locate the bridge. We need to get this ship up and running as soon as we can if we are to save ourselves and this galaxy."

"Exploration Team 2?"

"Don't worry about it – Admiral Eefrit's leading the team personally. I think he's over at the west hangar wing."

"Got it, we'll go find him right now. Is there anything else, Yuno?"

"That's all. Good luck with your search. Yuno out."

Kiir began walking towards the western side, with Kro following closely behind. They soon saw Admiral Eefrit waving them over.

"Kiir Sjet, it's good to see you alive and kicking. Great job you did back on the _Pride_."

"It was nothing much, really," Kiir replied sheepishly, "So what do you want us to do?"

"Well, it's basically an exploration operation. We need to find the command bridge of the _Koshiir Ra _if we are going to understand how to work its technology."

"I see. I guess we can handle that, but I'm not exactly good with directions…"

Eefrit whipped out a small chip and plugged it into Kiir's communications strap. Instantly, the holographic interface activated and displayed the entire _Koshiir Ra_'s ship structure. The explored areas were lit up in green, while the unknown areas were dark black. Various yellow dots could be seen moving around the ship.

"There's no getting lost with that location system. Just refer to it when in doubt. Now if you will excuse me, I have to get back to briefing my team. You could start by searching section D. We'll be in section E."

"What about Kro?" enquired Kiir, "Isn't he coming along?"

"We've just gone over Kro's research files, and they show great promise. They've prepped a state-of-the-art lab for him back on the _Legacy_."

Eefrit gestured to Kro, directing him towards a waiting shuttle. Kro took the hint and waved hurriedly to Kiir.

"It looks urgent. Anyway, my research would probably help us survive this disaster a bit longer."

"I understand. We'll stay in touch, alright?"

Kro nodded to agree, then quickly ran off to the shuttle. The pilot was obviously on a tight schedule, for no sooner had the airlock sealed did the shuttle blast off hastily through the atmospheric containment field. Meanwhile, Eefrit had returned to briefing his exploration team, leaving Kiir to start looking.

Kiir studied the location system for a moment, then randomly chose a corridor to enter.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, the Southern Fringe:**

Captain Soban was getting bored. Not that he missed the Keepers or some ancient fleet from hell, but it was starting to get to him. He didn't like the idea of being a ship under the command of some fleet – it was all so restrictive and stifling.

The repairs to the Dreadnaught were nearly done, after all those hectic encounters with enemy after enemy. Now the computer systems were almost fully operational, installed with the tightest firewalls devised by Hiigaran scientists. Much research had been done on the hacking methods of the Keepers so as to prevent a similar subversion from taking place in future.

Soban faced the screen of the newly-restored sensor system and turned it on in anticipation. The blackness flickered slightly, then shimmered to present a scene of data. He was glad it worked, for they had been working blind ever since the purposeful power diversion not so long ago.

The advanced sensors of the Progenitor ship stretched farther out into the unknown, gathering information and data on the region. It was then that Soban caught an insignificant ping from the corner of his eye. He quickly punched a few keys, trying to bring the sensors to bear on the location. Instead, he crashed the newly-resurrected computer and was greeted by blackness once more.

Soban swore and tried to get the console to work again, pressing buttons and depressing switches. When the console remained silent, he made clear his frustration with a loud resounding kick. In a surprising response, the screen lit up once more.

Moments later, he had zoomed in on the place where the sensor anomaly had originated. The sensors regarded the area for a few seconds before returning a negative result. However, they did register signs of a successful hyperspace jump.

It was a pity that their hyperspace sensors were still offline – the _Gatekeeper_'s hyperspace tracking capability was one of its strongest points in battle. Whatever it was, Soban hoped it wasn't headed for them.

* * *

**Imperial Frontier:**

The main Imperial fleet hung limply in space, waiting for their scout frigates to transmit the much-needed reconnaissance data. In the centre of the waiting fleet, the Imperial flagship _Merciless_ remained motionless as it continually scanned the surrounding regions for hostiles.

The _Merciless_ looked primitive in comparison with the rest of the Imperial fleet, which had undergone numerous upgrades. It was based primarily on the original flagship design which Riesstiu had commanded in the Battle of Hiigara, and thus retained many of its old features.

The only difference was that the flagship's construction facilities had been overhauled to accommodate the needs of the new Imperial fleets. While battlecruiser construction remained a task for asteroid bases and orbital shipyards, the _Merciless_ was still a versatile platform from which many a fleet and squadron had taken shape.

Onboard the mothership-class vessel, the bridge bustled with activity as sensor reports began coming in. Many were confused and some alarmed by the data which all pointed to the mysterious destruction of Hiigara. As word spread, the fleet's reactions were mixed. Some captains and commanders roared in satisfaction, celebrating Hiigara's destruction. Other officers became worried instead, wondering which atrocious force wielded such a terrible weapon.

One Taiidani remained calm and composed as he processed the data. While others joined the chaotic mix of celebration, worry and sheer confusion, Admiral Ecron continued studying the information while making plans for future moves. Now that Hiigara was no more, he considered the Hiigarans to be gone at long last. The pressing issue now was to preserve their own existence. After all, whatever the thing was, it had destroyed their enemies when they were at the peak of their power.

"Admiral, what action should we take next?" enquired one of Ecron's aides, "After all, the Hiigarans are dead now, and the Genocide is complete."

"We shall celebrate their destruction, yet maintain the highest alert throughout our space," replied Ecron, as he proceeded to a holographic projector. With a wave of his hand, the bridge darkened and became silent as everyone paid attention to the glowing projector.

The projector displayed a diagram of the Galaxy, showing Imperial space as dark blue and Hiigaran space as bright red. A small flashing dot at the heart of Hiigaran space represented the place where Hiigara used to be.

"As you can see here, Hiigara is no more," began the Admiral, causing the bridge to explode into an uproar of victory, "And yet, our data says otherwise about our current situation."

More patches began appearing on the Galactic map, coloured a deep crimson. The patches spread outwards from the flashing dot, stretching throughout Hiigaran space and beyond. A few tendrils moved dangerously close to the Imperial Frontier.

"From the data collected, I've been able to conclude that whatever destroyed Hiigara has not stopped there. The crimson area you now see have abnormally high amounts of hyperspace activity. Save for an interstellar assault fleet, no other attack group I know of has the ship numbers required for such an anomaly."

Ecron pointed to an area north of Hiigara. Immediately, the surrounding map dimmed and the brightness of the region increased as the projector zoomed into the Sarum System. As the planets and their orbits around the Sarum star were shown, various ship pictures were displayed at the same time. The other officers watched in shocked silence.

Progenitor Keepers, covered in the all-too-familiar strands and patches of red.

Ecron took a deep breath, then continued with his briefing.

"I personally doubt we can handle Progenitor ships and their capabilities, much less the addition of the Beast entity. It is therefore imperative for us to pull back from the Frontier, as well as evacuate all space within a 20 light year area of the Frontier. That said, prepare immediately for hyperspace jump."

The bridge stayed silent for a few moments before bursting into activity once more. Within moments, the order to hyperspace had been broadcasted to the entire fleet.

Admiral Ecron looked around at the surrounding region of space, admiring the beautiful view of the galactic core in the distance. Then he turned to give his orders.

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, Kadesh Nebula:**

Kaark awoke to his newfound senses, and indulged in them. Now fully interfaced with the _Qwaar Jet_'s systems, he could now see what secrets the ship had to offer. As Kaark mentally checked the databanks, he found information pertaining to the _Qwaar Jet_'s various capabilities – the Quantum Pulse Cannon, defence systems based on ion warp turrets, extended-range short jumper hyperdrives…

At the same time, he subconsciously managed the rest of the defending fleet. Movers were mining the riches of the nebula, while Keepers and Carriers produced more frigates and Drones.

It was then that he stumbled upon something surprising. As Kaark analysed the thing by sending more control nanites to explore it, he was soon grasped by a tremendous delight. Unable to contain his emotions, he laughed.

"Looks like conquest is going to be very much easier…" Kaark noted softly.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Bentusi Ruins:**

The boarders had been successfully repelled for some time, but now the T-MAT megaship was moving in to intervene. The Nalthorans, being of flesh and bone, were easy enough to dispatch with standard Marine weaponry, but what of the T-MAT and their crystalline invaders?

"Sajuuk-Khar, I must warn you that we will be unable to restore the _Sajuuk_'s control systems before the T-MAT begins to board us. When that happens, we will be hard-pressed to guarantee your safety," a security officer spoke urgently, "I would hence like to suggest that you hide in the Core Containment Unit. After all, that place has many compartments and therefore plenty of hiding places. You would be safe there until we can call for reinforcements from the Exodus Fleet."

"I understand the situation," Karan replied with an eerie serenity, "But as the Sajuuk-Khar, I will not hide."

"But why! By the act of boarding, the Nalthorans are already showing that they no longer treat us as neutral partners!"

"It is precisely for this reason that I must go and find out what has caused their sudden shift in diplomacy," Karan commented, folding her arms in defiance, "If I were to hide as you recommended, we might be inadvertently making ourselves another enemy without understanding the true reasons behind it."

"But…" the officer stuttered, anxious for the safety of the Sajuuk-Khar.

"No buts," Karan interrupted firmly, "My mind is made up. I appreciate your concern, but this matter requires urgent attention. Open a communications channel with the Nalthoran fleet. Tell them that we will submit to a full and unconditional surrender."

"… Very well, opening communications with the Nalthoran fleet…"

Karan stepped up to the crackling transmitter unit while technicians recalibrated the device to transmit across Nalthoran frequencies. A minute later, the interference cleared as the link was established.

"Attention Nalthoran fleet, I am Karan Sjet of the Hiigaran Republic," Karan began, "I would like to request that we be given the opportunity for a full and unconditional surrender."

Karan paused for the news to sink in. When the silence continued to drag on, she spoke once more.

"If you accept our unconditional surrender, we will order our Marines to stand down at once. In the light of our past neutral relations, I would also humbly request for an audience with Queen Dosis."

There was silence yet again, only this time it was broken seconds later by the Nalthorans' reply.

"… Sajuuk-Khar, we accept your surrender. As such, we will now board your ship to take you all into captivity. Regarding your request for an audience, it will be up to our Queen herself to decide."

"Then on behalf of the _Sajuuk_ and her crew, I thank you for your mercy, Karan out."

The transmitter resumed its crackling as the link was broken. Karan then went up to one of the technicians and whispered something to him. The technician nodded and began keying a message into the transmitter. After a bit more recalibration, he sent the phased telemetric signal in every direction.

Shudders echoed through the superstructure as boarding frigates latched on by the dozen. Karan sighed and prayed that their message would get through.


	22. Shadows

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 21: SHADOWS

* * *

**

_The Galaxy is a place fraught with peril and danger. During times of peace, the Turanic Raiders raided ships and blackmailed colonies. During times of war, the Taiidan Empire used military emergency as an excuse for their deeds of atrocity in forcing compliance with their reign._

_However, chaotic times such as these only serve to throw everything into a harsh darkness. When order fails and civilisations struggle for survival, the greatest danger comes from somewhere else. Not the Turanic Raiders, not the Imperials, not even the Vaygr._

_These times belong to the opportunists.

* * *

_

The ships moved silently through the Void, approaching their prey stealthily. For eons they had been forced to hide behind the barrier surrounding the Southern Fringe, hoping for a time when they might rise up to the occasion and take their rightful place as the rulers.

In ancient times, their homeworld burned under the onslaught of a powerful fleet. The few survivors that managed to escape were pursued relentlessly by the murderers. They were insistent on completing their genocide.

The fleet was eventually driven to a corner. Before them was the hyperspace wall of the Southern Fringe, and behind them their conquerors. As the enemy materialised behind them, the commander looked desperately for a sign.

He saw the emerald light.

The light from that star had caught his attention. It seemed to seduce him and capture his consciousness. As more looked to the light, more were enthralled even as their ships were picked off one by one from the rear.

The dazzle lasted for mere minutes, then vanished as abruptly as it had erupted out of the Void. Empowered by the vision, the survivors made a final jump towards where the light had been.

What happened next, no one really knew. Some said that they had jumped through a gap in the wall by sheer chance. Others said that the Gods took pity on the survivors, and let them through to the Paradise beyond.

And now, they would seek revenge on the Galaxy that had been so hostile towards them.

They would start with the intruders.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

Yuno checked the sensor feeds and saw the shuttle land safely in the hangar bay. She heaved a sigh of relief as Kro Manaan stepped out in one piece. These days, shuttle transport was getting dangerous thanks to the random appearance of unexpected enemies.

No one can predict the future, Yuno thought.

She went back to the boring repetition of running tests on the Mothership's systems. The repairs were progressing well with hull integrity restored to 80, and many critical ship systems had been brought up to optimum operational capability.

In spite of all their efforts of self-preservation, a tragedy had still occurred. Although the T-MAT assault did not manage to break through the cryogenic subsection bulkheads, the ionic fallout had knocked out a few vital support systems. The repair crews were not able to repair them in time.

Death toll: 200 000.

The loss of a tenth of their existence did not go well with the fleet. Even after the Keeper threat had been neutralised, there was still a faint hope that the repairs could save the affected cryogenic units. But now…

The Exodus fleet's battered morale was pulled up only by virtue of the fact that they were in possession of the _Koshiir Ra_. Many crews who had lost relatives and family in the cryogenic failure now tried to drown their sorrows in work, volunteering for the _Koshiir Ra_ project.

Yuno checked the long range sensors and thought that there was a mistake of some sort – hyperspace signatures were emerging on the outskirts of the asteroid field where the mining ships were. She checked the sensors again but found nothing. Nevertheless, she opened communications with the _Kuun Lan_ and _Faal Corum_, asking their commanders to be more cautious.

* * *

**Onboard the _Kuun Lan_, the Southern Fringe:**

Commander Inya Somtaaw received Yuno's warning and took appropriate action. Acolyte IIs were launched to escort the Workers, and fleet status was upgraded to yellow alert. Meanwhile, the Dervish II frigates and Gospel heavy dreadnoughts began scanning for targets. When all the procedures were done, Inya opened communications with the _Faal Corum_.

"Eeraac, did you receive the message too?" Inya enquired.

"I sure did, yet we're not picking up any enemy ships on our sensors, replied Eraac Somtaaw, commander of the _Faal Corum_, How about your side?"

"Nothing here either, I'm starting to think it was a false alarm on Yuno's part," Inya commented, "Maybe those deaths are getting to her or something."

"Can't blame her. I mean, taking responsibility for all those deaths… you know, I feel horrible whenever I lose anyone out here. The hard part's getting the message to the families involved, and that's a small number compared with… bzzzkt!"

The signal jamming came abruptly and Inya wasted no time putting the fleet on red alert.

"Sajuuk be damned, sensors report!"

"We can't trace the source of the signal, it appears to be a combination of frequencies beamed from separate and randomly changing locations," the officer replied frantically, "Picking up energy spikes in the surrounding space…"

The _Kuun Lan _vibrated slightly as weapons fire began impacting its hull. Inya gripped a console for support and glanced around at the viewscreens. He saw plasma bolts and ion beams coming out from nowhere and knew immediately what was going on.

"Great, they're cloaked. Hangar bay, drop Sentinels and begin proximity scans immediately!"

"Roger that Commander."

Seconds later, the Sentinel microships launched from their docking bays and raced out into space. With advances and breakthroughs in artificial intelligence development, there was no longer a need to assign pilots to this fragile vessel. As such, the extra space freed up could now be used for other instruments and systems, making the Sentinel Mark 3 one of the most versatile ships in the Somtaaw arsenal.

From each Sentinel popped a small scanning array as the squadron of 12 ships began checking for cloaked vessels. To Inya's horror, they brought up negative results.

"Commander, proximity scanning failed! They're probably using cloaking technology that's beyond our means of detection!"

"Then we'll have to use the old way," Inya replied, "Start calculating the ships' positions from their weaponry trajectories and transmit all coordinate data to the rest of the fleet. Meanwhile, deploy Sentinel Shield around the ship."

The data was transmitted and the Somtaaw fleet unleashed a flurry of firepower at their invisible enemies. The Dervish IIs let loose their tracking ion beams while the Gospels fired off their ion turrets and pulse cannons. There was no way for them to use the missiles as there was nothing to lock onto.

As the ion beams and energy bolts hit their targets, several ships began emerging from cloak. Explosions began to light up around the _Kuun Lan_ and more of the enemy vessels lost their cloaking abilities. Then, a glowing sphere of red light surrounded the _Kuun Lan_ as the Sentinels activated their force field generators.

"Commander, most of the uncloaked enemy ships are of the frigate class," described the sensors officer, "They are similar in design to the ion cannon frigate, but are equipped with plasma turrets to handle flanking manoeuvres."

"I see. What's the word on the _Faal Corum_?"

"Long range sensors indicate the _Faal Corum_ is under attack by a similar fleet. They appear to be having no more trouble than we are. Our Workers have also managed to dock, and the Acolytes are joining the battle."

"Very well. Keep up the assault until all hostiles are destroyed. Since we cannot hope to call for reinforcements from the rest of the fleet, we'll have to ride this one out on our own. Weapons officer, add our firepower into the equation at once."

Now the Somtaaw mining vessel began firing its heavy pulse cannons, ripping into the decloaked and cloaked ships alike. The presence of the Sentinel Shield meant that there was no way the enemy firepower could come through, or so they thought.

A destroyer-class vessel decloaked in front of the _Kuun Lan_. It definitely did not look like the standard destroyer design used by many galactic civilisations. Instead, it appeared to be an extra-large ion frigate, with its entire hull wrapped round a nasty-looking weapon.

"What in Kharak's name is that?" Inya exclaimed.

"Unknown design, it doesn't match with any of the ship profiles we have here… emergency alert! Energy spike detected!"

With that, the destroyer fired. A pulse rippled through space, distorting the light that shone through it. Moments later, the pulse passed harmlessly through the shield and impacted the _Kuun Lan_'s hangar module, shattering the front portion of it and leaving a huge crater on the module. The impact shook the entire ship violently.

"Damage report!" Inya yelled amidst flickering lights and malfunctioning terminals.

"Hangar module is venting to space, module integrity at 60 percent. We've lost frigate and capital ship building capability!"

"Engineering, what the hell could that thing be?"

Judging from what it did to the Hangar module, our best guess is that it's a gravity weapon of some sort. That ship is using pulses of artificial gravity to inflict damage.

"Then it's definitely too much for us. _Kuun Lan_ to fleet, disengage and fall back. Helm, set a course for the _Legacy_ and take us to hyperspace ASAP!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," came the reply, "That gravity shock has destabilised the space time continuum in the region. Until the ripples subside, we can't make a jump!"

"Dammit! All ships, focus fire on the destroyer!"

With that, the Gospels and Dervish IIs turned to bring their weapons to bear on the destroyer. The enemy ship vaporised quickly under the firestorm, but five more destroyers decloaked in a sphere formation around the _Kuun Lan_. In a desperate attempt to buy more time, the heavy dreadnoughts activated their repulsors to knock the destroyers away, bringing the _Kuun Lan_ out of their lines of fire. But that would only give them mere seconds, for the destroyers immediately began re-manoeuvring to aim at the mining ship.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

Yuno picked up the unfolding battle on the long range sensors and was alarmed by the sudden assault. Wasting no time, she quickly broadcasted the emergency alert to the fleet. Checking the Grand Core, Yuno was relieved to find that it had built up sufficient energy for the jump.

With that, the Grand Core powered up and pulled the fleet into hyperspace, bringing them back to realspace seconds later. The attacking force was alarmed by the sudden addition of three fully-equipped fleets and ceased their assaults, returning to the safety of their cloaks.

"Yuno to _Kuun Lan_, are you alright?"

"Inya of the _Kuun Lan _here, we're alright save for a bruise to the Hangar module."

"Good to hear that. Prepare for another micro jump!"

A few more seconds passed before the gathered Exodus fleet warped into realspace behind the _Faal Corum_ and its fleet. The attackers responded similarly, halting fire and disappearing behind their cloaking fields. Yuno instinctively checked the proximity detectors, but found nothing. As if on cue, Eefrit's voice came in over a comm channel.

"What's the status on things out there, Yuno?"

"Tactically, not exactly ideal, she replied with a sigh, Our proximity sensors are unable to defeat their cloaking fields."

"Great, so are we going to just sit here and wait for them to fire again?"

"I'm not sure. For one thing, it was not even advisable to pull the _Koshiir Ra_ into hyperspace when we understand so little about it. Such hasty measures may very well compromise crucial systems onboard the _Koshiir Ra_."

"Well, things here are fine. There's been no fallout from those tactical jumps. Meanwhile, Kiir thinks he's getting warm regarding the location of the ship's bridge section."

"Then tell Kiir to make haste. We need to get the _Koshiir Ra_ up and running as quickly as possible."

It was then that the aggressors decided to decloak and fire upon the Hiigaran fleet. Their numbers were greater now – they had evidently hyperspaced their fleet together so as to present a combined front against the gathered Exodus fleet. Thanks to Inya and Eeraac's targeting methods, the Hiigarans were able to respond with precision strikes. Ships were knocked out of cloak and pulled into plain view of the Exodus fleet.

Ion beams, mass drivers and energy bolts were flung madly within the battle. The attackers' ships seemed to have lighter armour than their Hiigaran counterparts, but compensated with additional offense capabilities. The outcome was uncertain until the destroyers dropped their cloaking fields. A dozen gravity destroyers now manoeuvred to bring the _Legacy_ into their line of fire.

"A smart guess of theirs - they are aiming immediately for the flagship," noted Yuno, "They probably detected the quantum wave effect when the Grand Core activated."

The destroyers released their lethal pulses of gravity which hurtled quickly towards the Mothership. At the last moment, the space around the _Legacy _shimmered as the distortion field sprang up. The pulses smashed into the distorted fabric of space and caused shockwaves to reverberate through the field. Had the power source been a standard hyperspace module, the stress would have overloaded the module and destroyed the ship in the resulting quantum cascade reaction. However, the assault was a mere pinprick to what the Grand Core could handle.

"Thank Sajuuk for Kiir's algorithm," Yuno muttered, "Yuno to fleet, the _Legacy _is protected. Focus fire on the hostile vessels."

As the order went out and the Hiigaran fleet stepped up the assault, Yuno dove into the archives with the hope of finding something on this new enemy. A quick search yielded nothing, with no matching ship profiles from all the ships ever encountered since the Homeworld War.

Yuno decided to try a different approach, accessing the historical archives. Recording a detailed history of the Galaxy since the First Time, this treasure trove was a gift of gratitude from the Bentusi for the Hiigaran campaign to exterminate the Beast. The computer searched through the mass of files and returned with a close match. Wasting no time, Yuno opened the file and scanned through the words quickly.

* * *

_"… The Tobari civilisation was a casualty of the Uprising, a terrible conflict that engulfed the entire Galaxy. In this war, there were two main powers seeking to rule the Galaxy – the Kushan and the Taiidan. While the Kushan focused their efforts on dominating the Inner Rim and Core regions, the Taiidan chose to conquer the Outer Rim and attempted to control the Outer Rim Trade Routes._

_The Taiidan fleet was refused entry into Tobari space as the Tobari were a peaceful people. In response, they invaded mercilessly, destroying any and all Tobari assets along the way. When _Bentus_ arrived to assist, the Tobari homeworld of Toba had already fallen victim to the prototype atmosphere deprivation weapon._

Bentus_ was able to track the survivors down to the outskirts of the Southern Fringe. Unfortunately, the Taiidan managed to slow down the Bentusi task force with strategically placed hyperspace inhibitors. By the time the task force was able to fight its way through the Imperial fleets, the Tobari survivors were gone. They had supposedly committed a desperate escape attempt by jumping straight into the Southern Fringe. Knowing the ultimate fate of ships that tried to defy the Hyperspace Wall, the Bentusi fleet was forced to withdraw with heavy hearts…"

* * *

_

Yuno was shocked upon reading the historical article. Having experienced an act of genocide on the same scale as the Burning of Kharak, the Tobari were definitely to be pitied. With this new knowledge, Yuno now tried to establish contact with the aggressors.

"Attention Tobari fleet, this is Yuno of the Hiigaran Exodus fleet. The Taiidan Empire that destroyed your homeworld is no more, and the Galaxy is now a different place from those times of old," Yuno considered describing the current galactic situation as "peaceful and prosperous," but thought otherwise. "We mean you no harm. All we ask is that your fleet stands down immediately, and we shall do the same."

The broadcasted signal echoed through the communications systems of every ship within a five light year radius. As if to acknowledge the transmission, the Tobari vessels halted their attacks and vanished into cloak yet again. In return, the Hiigaran fleet powered down their weapons as well.

Yuno was relieved that she had managed to get through to them, but remained cautious. After all, she was now treading on thin ice. She definitely did not want to offend them accidentally in some way or other.

"Tobari fleet, we thank you for your compliance. Let there be peace between our races…"

"So, the Taiidan Empire is no more?" came the abrupt reply. The voice was deep and emotionless.

"Well, yes. I mean, pockets of it still remain, but they are no longer the powerful force of old."

"What led to their demise? Was it the Bentusi?"

"Erm, not exactly…" Yuno struggled to keep up the conversation. They had, after all, been out of touch with galactic affairs for several thousand years, "You see, we are descendents of the Kushan Empire, and that fell under the onslaught of the Taiidan."

"Thanks to the intervention of the Bentusi, our surviving ancestors were sent into Exile. We spent 4000 years on the planet Kharak, towards the Western Fringe of the Galaxy, before we re-discovered our origins. Sadly, our first hyperdrive test led to a terrible fate…"

"… Kharak burned?"

"… The Taiidani claimed we broke some sort of treaty. And so..." Yuno struggled to keep the emotion out of her voice as she recalled the history lessons in her younger days, "… Yes, Kharak burned."

"… You have our sympathies."

"We thank you for that. As a result of Kharak's destruction, we were forced to return to our homeworld Hiigara, whatever the cost. In doing so, we destroyed the Emperor's flagship over Hiigara and ended the Empire's reign."

"… It is a curious story, and we are pleased to hear of the outcome. What then brings you to the Southern Fringe? Has the Galaxy forsaken your race as well?"

"Well, we came here for the purpose of finding the one weapon that would help save the Galaxy. You see, the Galaxy is now under attack by an ancient race known as…"

"… The Progenitors, we presume?"

"So you know?" Yuno exclaimed.

"Our fleets have encountered ships of their make and design. Dangerous vessels they were, one of their so-called Keepers has the power to destroy a carrier task force. So we understand the power that's involved, and we shall use it."

"… I beg your pardon?" Yuno enquired, spooked by that last phrase. Sensing something wrong, she quickly checked the sensors.

Her worst fears were confirmed. Tobari boarding vessels now decloaked all around them, some of them already latched onto the _Koshiir Ra_, motherships and command ships. Internal sensors began registering gunfire as Marines struggled to stop the Tobari invaders from taking over. Having made their point, the Tobari cut the transmission.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_:**

Captain Soban raced through the ship with a few Marines. When the Tobari boarding vessel had decloaked, latched onto the Dreadnaught's hull, Engineering had activated the shields as a defensive measure. Now that the boarding ship was sliced to pieces, the task of eliminating the boarders remained.

The group neared the sealed off bulkhead and prepared for battle. The Marines gathered around the blast doors with weapons hot while Soban punched a password into the door console. The console beeped and the doors groaned, sliding open slowly. Soban quickly moved to join the rest of the Marines and aimed his autocannon at the widening gap.

The Tobari lunged forth and were cut down quickly by the Marines and Captain Soban. A few of the boarders stayed back and fired off their plasma rifles, sending bolts of supercharged energy towards the Hiigaran group. Soban barely dodged a shot but another Marine took the full brunt of it in the abdomen. He screamed and collapsed in agony, clutching his ruined stomach. Soban yelled at the intercom for medical assistance while unleashing more metal slugs at the boarders.

When the Tobari brought out a large shoulder-mounted cannon, Captain Soban knew it was time to run. He yelled at everybody to fall back then quickly set the doors to close. The injured Hiigaran group retreated from the blast doors moments before the plasma bolt smashed through. With a clear shot of the defenders, the Tobari boarders fired off their rifles again. Soban knew there would be no escape this time.

When he opened his eyes seconds later to find himself in one piece, Soban realised that some sort of barrier had sprung up around the boarding party. The Tobari were incensed and tried to break through, pumping plasma bolts into the barrier in vain.

"I've got to thank Engineering for that localised quantum distortion," Soban uttered, "People, get the wounded to safety. Engineering, you there?"

"Engineering here, we've got the boarders where you want them. What's next?" came the voice from Soban's wrist transmitter.

"Good job with that containment bubble. Flood it with knock-out gas so we can interrogate them later."

"Consider it done."

A vent in the ceiling opened up and began pouring gas into the containment bubble. The potent chemical knocked the boarders out within moments and was quickly dispersed by the cleanup systems. The barrier went down and Soban walked up to the unconscious boarders.

"You people definitely messed with the wrong ship."

As if echoing his thoughts, the Phased Cannon Array ripped through a bunch of gravity destroyers with ease.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_:**

Kiir Sjet ran down the corridor, checking his locator constantly for updates. The Tobari had managed to get onboard the ship either by forcing their way through the hangar or drilling through weak points in the hull. Now the red dots representing the Tobari boarders outnumbered friendlies by at least three to one.

But Kiir also knew that the bridge was somewhere close. For some reason he couldn't explain, he could "feel" the approximate location of the _Koshiir Ra_'s bridge. Kiir quickened his pace, racing towards that mysterious location, the feeling getting stronger with each step.

The locator warbled as it suddenly picked up five boarders heading in his direction. Kiir raced ahead to the corridor junction and saw the Tobari, who were unsurprised by Kiir and proceeded to fire their plasma rifles at him. Kiir yelped and dodged them quickly, using his telekinesis to enhance his agility. The boarders were dumbfounded and fired desperately, only to have their shots either evaded or deflected by Kiir's telekinetic barrier.

He went in close and knocked the boarders off their feet with a burst of telekinetic energy. Before they could regain themselves, a quick telepathic burst knocked the Tobari unconscious. Kiir wobbled a bit at the sudden exertion but recovered quickly and resumed running.

"Whew, it really does get easier the more I do this," he muttered, wiping a drop of sweat off his face.

The scientist raced faster and turned a corner, stopping in front of a thick steel door. He placed his hand on the door console and concentrated briefly. When Kiir opened his eyes, the door slid open, revealing a large open area with many terminals and command consoles.

He had found the bridge section.

* * *

**Onboard the _Paaura_:**

Chaos reigned onboard the Somtaaw command ship as General Qwaar tried to coordinate both the fleet assaults and internal security operations. A great number of boarding frigates had locked onto the _Paaura_ and the boarders had pushed all the way to the auxiliary resource centre. Now the defending Marines worked hard to seal every door between the bridge and the advancing invaders.

General Qwaar checked the internal sensors and saw disturbing news. The boarders had gathered in a large group some three sections away, meaning only four heavy doors stood between them and the bridge. He saw several Marines approaching the boarding party from the rear section, but their numbers were far too small to mount an effective offensive. Thinking quickly, Qwaar ordered for the Marines to retreat to the nearest shielded section. He then turned to the intercom.

"Engineering, stand by for Naar… or in this case, Tobari Directive."

"Standing by to vent plasma. Where do you want it?"

"Section A4," Qwaar responded as he saw the last of the Marines move to safety, "Roast them."

"Roger, venting plasma now…"

The _Paaura_ shuddered slightly as drive plasma was diverted through the plasma vents to its destination. Moments later, hissing sounds and pained shrieks filled the bridge, reminding Qwaar to switch off the audio receivers. The screams were cut off and Qwaar returned to the task at hand.

"What are all of you waiting for," the general barked, "There's still a battle to win!"

* * *

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

"My Queen, I bring word from the expedition," reported the messenger, "The mission is a success, and the _Sajuuk _is ours."

"Excellent, that is probably one of the better news I'm hearing of late," Queen Dosis commented as she stood up from her throne, "What about the Sajuuk-Khar?"

"We have captured Karan Sjet alive, and she requests an audience with Your Majesty."

"An audience? That is most interesting… how long will it be before the expedition returns?"

"The fleet is in hyperspace transit even as we speak, and we expect them to arrive in nine hours."

"I see… very well then. Tell the Sjet that I will see her during the Royal Banquet. I suppose she has her reasons for this strange request…" Dosis admired a vase of exquisite Nalthoran roses as she pondered what Karan was up to, "That is all then. You are dismissed!"

"I take my leave, Your Majesty," the messenger replied, bowing out before her.

Queen Dosis returned to her throne and sat down slowly, still thinking about the consequences of such a meeting. She waved a hand and an attendant came to her side.

"Bring me the Exchange Unit, I wish to have a discussion with the T-MAT."

"As you wish," said the attendant.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

Yuno was sick to her stomach when she accessed the video cameras. Tobari soldiers were swarming onboard and laying waste to any life they came across. Be it fully armed Hiigaran Marines or defenceless engineers, they killed them nonetheless.

She checked the overall situation and things seemed very bad – the boarders had almost reached the main computer hub, the heart of the _Legacy_. If they got in there, her existence would most definitely be compromised. Worse yet, the Tobari were edging closer to the cryogenic subsections, and heaven knows what they would do in there.

And yet, there was nothing she could do. She had activated every defence system available, internal or external. Pulsar turrets dissuaded more boarding frigates from docking on while laser cannons brought down as many Tobari as they could before being destroyed themselves.

Yuno considered her options, then remembered her one last trump card – the Grand Core. During the T-MAT attack, Kiir had done something with the Grand Core to spirit the T-MAT fleet away. Perhaps she could do the same, she reasoned.

After a quick consultation with the internal sensors, Yuno was relieved to find that the Core Containment Unit was still untouched by the invaders. Wasting no time, she accessed the Hyperspace NAV systems and began microtargeting. As Yuno was about to engage the system, she paused to think about the atrocity she was about to commit. Then she saw the Tobari relentlessly slaughtering everyone they could see onboard and thought otherwise.

Yuno ended her hesitation and began the procedure. Entire contingents vanished from sight and emerged from hyperspace in the cold hard vacuum of outer space. She personally hoped that the shock of hyperspace transit had killed them, since death in vacuum was very unpleasant. It only took a few minutes for the _Legacy _to be cleared of all Tobari boarders.

With the boarding situation under control, Yuno turned her focus to the other frigates still trying to latch onto the Mothership. She was amazed by the sheer numbers the Tobari had, but reminded herself that they were no match for Progenitor technology. Yuno began pulling ship after ship into hyperspace, sending them into the heart of the Hyperspace Wall behind them. There, they would be trapped for all eternity with no hope of escape.

The Tobari were unafraid, for Yuno could only deal with the decloaked boarding frigates. Hence, they kept up their assault on the Exodus fleet, trying to bring down as many critical ships as they could. A carrier detonated under the intense firepower, and Yuno murmured a silent prayer for the Hiigarans who had lost their lives.

Still, they were at a disadvantage. The Tobari were learning quickly as to how their ships were being tracked. Hence, they began firing and moving at the same time to avoid hits by the Hiigaran ships tracking their fire trajectories.

Yuno was contemplating an emergency hyperspace jump when Kiir's voice came in through one of the communications channels.

"Yuno, I found the bridge section! I just managed to get into the _Koshiir Ra_'s systems and the place is huge!"

"Kiir? You're in? You have control of the _Koshiir Ra?_"

"Not really, there's just so many things in here I'm not sure where to start…"

"Alright, just relax Kiir. Start searching for any kind of proximity detection system, we need to be able to see the Tobari if we're going to attack them."

"Got it, searching for "proximity sensors," "anti-cloaking sensors" and "proximity detectors…""

"And hurry up with that, we can't withstand this for much longer!" Yuno urged as she saw a battlecruiser succumb to the Tobari onslaught.

Yuno waited and tried to refine the weapons trajectory calculations, but it was no use. The Tobari were moving their ships with less speed but more agility now as they diverted power to thrusters. How could they possibly win against an invisible enemy?

A Somtaaw heavy dreadnought shattered in a brilliant explosion and Yuno decided that they had had enough. Just as she was about to broadcast the emergency hyperspace announcement, the sensors screen lit up with coordinate data of the Tobari ships.

"Kiir here, I found the proximity sensor system. Uploading sensor data to fleet now…"

"Great job Kiir! Alright then, Yuno to fleet, engage and destroy all hostiles. The Tobari must be eliminated!"

The Exodus fleet, now no longer blind, began firing with pinpoint accuracy on the revealed Tobari ship locations. Explosions occurred out of nothingness as the ships blew up with their cloaking fields still on. The Tobari knew that they were defeated, and quickly escaped to hyperspace. As the last Tobari ship signature vanished from sensor view, everyone in the fleet heaved a sigh of relief.

It was at this moment that Yuno suddenly picked up an incoming transmission on the communications network. She patched it through and gasped when she heard the voice.

"Yuno? What's going on there? Hello?" Kiir asked, alarmed by Yuno's sudden gasp.

… It's… it's Karan… Yuno uttered with mixed feelings.


	23. Rescue

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 22: RESCUE

* * *

**

"_Far Jumping remains a total and complete mystery even after years of progress in the field of hyperspace technology. In all these decades, we could only gather that the standard hyperspace modules used by ships the Galaxy over differ from the Hyperspace Cores in terms of jump duration and speed. Standard hyperspace modules allow jumps up to eight hours in duration, with transit speeds ranging from 70 000 to 100 000 c. Synchronising the modules in a Synchronised Hyperspace Jump improves this slightly, upping jump duration to 12 hours and increasing speed to 120 000 c."_

"_Meanwhile, further research has determined the Hyperspace Cores' jump durations to be somewhere around 20 hours, with transit speeds around 10 000 000 c. In short, a Hyperspace Core would have the ability to cover the distance between Hiigara and Kharak in approximately two jumps."_

"_With that in mind, the Grand Core's abilities are even more incredible. It can sustain a jump for up to 100 hours with transit speeds in excess of 3 billion times the speed of light. This would make travel between galaxies and even galactic clusters a real possibility."_

"_What surprises me is not their capabilities, but that fact that standard fusion plants aboard the Mothership are able to provide sufficient power to charge a Hyperspace Core in a matter of minutes. This leads me to believe that the secret to Far Jumping lies not in the extending of jump ranges via improved energy technology, but rather some algorithms that might cut the power involved in hyperspace jumping and hence allow for increased jump ranges."_

_Kiir Sjet's research logs

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

The message had only been received mere minutes before, but Eefrit had already taken a shuttle back to the _Legacy_. Kiir remained on the _Koshiir Ra_, choosing instead to return via the virtual world. Meanwhile, the shuttles continued to stream in, carrying ranking officers of the various carriers and command ships.

As the Mothership prepared for the emergency meeting, the rest of the fleet clustered around the vessel for added protection. Now that nearly every important person in the fleet was onboard the _Legacy_, its preservation was crucial. Yuno had taken security one step further by activating the _Legacy_'s and _Pride_'s gravity well generators, as well as ordering the _Kuun Lan_, _Faal Corum_ and _Paaura_ to power up their hyperspace dampening fields. Hopefully this would halt any hostile hyperspace activity within a one light-second radius.

Minutes later, the officers walked into the large debrief room. Previously used for the final debrief during the Mothership's epic entry into the Hiigaran System, the room was virtually untouched in all the decades that had passed thus far.

The officers settled down quickly and the lights dimmed as Yuno's hologram shimmered into view on the projector.

"I apologise for the short notice given with regards to this meeting," Yuno began, "But we received an urgent message a few minutes ago from the _Sajuuk_. I will now play the recording for all to hear."

With that, Yuno's hologram shimmered and was replaced by one of Karan's. Everyone watching gasped at the sight of an exhausted Karan, but the shock would only amplify as the message began.

"This is Karan Sjet of the Hiigaran warship _Sajuuk_. If you have received this message, then the _Sajuuk_ would already be in Nalthoran possession. I was hiding the ship amongst the Bentusi Ruins when the Nalthorans arrived. They were assisted by the T-MAT, which disabled the _Sajuuk_'s control systems and allowed the Nalthorans to board."

"The Nalthorans have agreed to spare our lives while they tow the _Sajuuk_ into high orbit around Nalthora. I am also hoping for their Queen to agree to an audience with me so that we may understand this sudden diplomatic change. If the Queen refuses, then it is likely that all our lives will be in danger."

"I am sure that the Exodus Fleet has encountered many trials and tribulations in the preservation of the colonists, and I thank you all for your efforts. However, it is crucial that a rescue team is sent to Nalthora. Not to save our lives, but to reclaim the _Sajuuk_. You see, the _Sajuuk_ being in the Nalthorans' possession will no doubt tip the balance of power in the Galaxy. This is something we cannot afford in the face of the Progenitor threat."

"This is not an order, merely an urgent request. If a team is sent eventually, you must keep in mind that the _Sajuuk_'s recovery is the priority, and our well-being secondary. Whatever your response, Hiigara must be preserved. We have come so far and cannot afford to lose this war."

"May Sajuuk watch over us all. Karan out."

The hologram faded from view as Yuno flickered into focus once more. She waved a hand and brought up a galactic map. The projection zoomed into Nalthoran space and displayed the Nalthoran system.

"Now back to the matter at hand. We don't have much information on Nalthoran military strength owing to the courtesies of our Neutrality agreement. However, Hiigaran Fleet Command did own a shielded probe hidden in the star system, which should provide us with some data."

The star system map now lit up with an orange orbiting patch that represented the asteroid belt, and within the belt was the green dot of the surveillance probe.

"In order to avoid detection, the probe sends phased telemetric updates on a weekly basis at random intervals. As such, whatever information we have is not going to reflect the current situation. Our last update was three days before the Exodus."

The information appeared on the projection as the entire image zoomed up close to the planet Nalthora. A large mothership-class structure was displayed plainly in high orbit, surrounded by a substantial fleet comprising ships up to the cruiser-class.

"Assuming that fleet expansion has not taken place on a large scale in the last week or so, we can expect to be looking at a force made up of at least a hundred frigates and a few dozen destroyers and cruisers. This shouldn't warrant more than a standard mothership strike force. As things stand right now, the _Shipyard Naabal_ is working overtime to increase our battlecruiser count, and we're pulling crews out of cryofreeze to man them. At the moment we have four battlecruisers and a fifth is scheduled for launch within the hour."

"The Somtaaw heavy dreadnoughts, our cruiser-class vessels, total 12 at the moment. _Kuun Lan_, _Faal Corum_ and _Paaura_ are currently in production of a total of three more, which are expected to be completed within 50 hours. As for the destroyers, the _Legacy _and _Pride_ are set to launch four in the next 48 hours, bringing our destroyer total to 30."

"When the preparations are done, the strike force will consist of one mothership or command ship, three battlecruisers, five heavy dreadnoughts, 10 destroyers, at least 20 frigates and an accompanying carrier. Since our battlecruisers can easily handle the Nalthoran cruisers with dreadnought support, it will free up our destroyer force to pick off the defending frigates which make up the majority of their fleet. This will allow our marines to go in and…"

"Yuno, I have a point to raise," interrupted Captain Soban. All eyes in the room turned immediately to him. "Wouldn't it be dangerous for us to divert nearly half our fleet to retrieving the _Sajuuk_? And furthermore, a mothership-class vessel? I mean, here we are in unknown territory and we have utterly no idea when the Tobari will strike again."

"Yes, it will be dangerous," Yuno replied, "But as Karan has said, the _Sajuuk_'s recovery is a priority. Even if we possess the _Koshiir Ra_, a non-functional ship is as good as a dead one."

"Yuno, I would like to propose that you send one ship alone, my Dreadnaught, to execute the recovery."

"What?"

"I'm pretty sure the _Gatekeeper_'s shields can absorb whatever the Nalthorans can throw at us, so long as battlecruiser-classes are out of the picture. It would be far safer – we could do more with less!"

"But Captain Soban, I have yet to elaborate on another tactical aspect. The _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ may be more than able to deal with the Nalthoran fleet, but against the T-MAT it will be a much harder match. After all, the T-MAT assisted the Nalthorans in the capture of the _Sajuuk_, meaning it is more than likely for them to assist the Nalthorans again."

"If you're worried about the T-MAT," Soban countered, "You can always send just along a few capital ships for safety. It would still take far fewer resources than your proposed strike force. Besides, we're only just going to retrieve the _Sajuuk_, not destroy the T-MAT and Nalthorans."

Yuno paused and considered Soban's suggestion. "Please, Yuno, this will work. All you have to do is give the order," urged Soban.

A minute passed before Yuno nodded in agreement. With that, Soban stood up, saluted smartly, and left promptly to prepare for departure.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, high orbit over New Taiidan:**

Admiral Ecron gazed at the lush green world of New Taiidan. This planet was a far cry from the old world of Taiidan in the Inner Rim, whose surface had been scarred over the millennia from wars and unchecked development. The final blow had been struck during the climactic showdown between the Taiidan Republic and the Imperialist Alliance – missiles rained down relentlessly upon the planet as the Imperialists attempted to take over the capital world, while Republic ships crashed onto the surface.

When the battle had ended with the complete and utter defeat of the Taiidan Republic, the planet had been ruined beyond repair and rendered completely uninhabitable. With Hiigaran reinforcements en route to the star system, the Imperials had no choice but to retreat beyond the Imperial Frontier. In search of a new capital world, a suitable planet had been found on the outskirts of the Northern Fringe and it was dubbed New Taiidan.

"Admiral, the Council is asking that we dock at Central Command Station for final adjustments to the _Merciless_' systems," an officer reported, "They are transmitting docking vectors right now."

"Then proceed with the docking," replied Ecron, "Is there anything else?"

"The Council also wishes to see you planetside regarding the Hiigarans' destruction."

"Planetside? I can brief them just as well as from orbit."

"I'm sorry, Admiral, but the Council's orders are that they see you in person."

"Whatever they want, it had better be important…" muttered Ecron as he swept off towards the hangar bay.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, the Southern Fringe:**

Kiir Sjet continued searching through the incredible databanks of the _Koshiir Ra_. Just a few minutes ago, he had believed the _Sajuuk_'s archives to be amongst the greatest discoveries ever made in Hiigaran history, but the _Koshiir Ra_ now looked set to displace that achievement.

Kiir looked through databank after databank, finding more treasures as he did so. When he at last came to the section containing hyperspace research data, Kiir could barely contain his excitement. He held his breath for a few moments, telling himself that this was it, and accessed the data block.

Lines upon lines of hyperspace and quantum waveform data assaulted his senses, and Kiir reeled slightly. He quickly scanned through the massive bulk of information, extracting what was important and discarding the rest. Several minutes passed before Kiir stumbled across experimental data on Phasing technology and Far Jumping. He didn't hesitate in reading what it had to offer.

All of a sudden, everything became clear.

* * *

**Onboard the _­Qwaar Jet_, hyperspace transit:**

Kaark had received the reports from scout ships moving outwards from Hiigaran space, and he knew what he had to do next. Now that the Hiigarans were most definitely out of the equation with the destruction of Hiigara, along with the Vaygr, he had to focus on the other powers that could threaten his reign.

The first power that came to mind was the Imperial Alliance. Recon vessels entering the Imperial Frontier had met with resistance from patrol fleets, confirming a status of hostility between his forces and the Imperials.

The second power was the T-MAT race. Kaark had heard little from them, but he knew that they were out there somewhere. Long range sensors had given him glimpses of megaships slipping around the main fleet, gathering data briefly before escaping into hyperspace. Being an Unbound race, he respected their power but took relief in the fact that nothing could possibly match up to Progenitor technology.

The last power was the Nalthorans, and where he was headed for now. At first, he didn't think much of hem when considering where to begin the main invasion corridor. However, scouts reported the Nalthorans' successful capture of the _Sajuuk_. Even if it was with T-MAT assistance, the fact remained that the Nalthorans were now a force to be reckoned with. After all, _Sajuuk_ was one of the Three Gods, a formidable vessel. With _Koshiir Ra_ probably out of the picture with eons of decay, he would eliminate the last possible resistance to Progenitor power in the Galaxy.

The shipboard computers began beeping to indicate the approaching hyperspace exit. It would take the fleet another two more jumps to reach the Nalthoran system, but that would change once they got hold of the _Sajuuk_ and its Far Jumping capabilities.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, the Southern Fringe:**

"Engineering here, final preps are done. The _Gatekeeper_ can't be more ready."

"Good work Engineering," Soban mentioned, "Helm, what's the news on the NAV systems?"

"NAV systems are fully restored and functioning at 100 efficiency. We won't be getting lost out there."

"Captain Soban, are you there?" Yuno's voice came through on the communications channel.

"Soban here, we're good to go."

"I'm assigning the battlecruiser _Omniscient_, the destroyers _Sigma II_ and _Theta V_, and the carrier _Cosmos_ to your taskforce. The _Cosmos_ will be accompanied by a squadron of 10 ion frigates, 5 flaks and 5 torps. They'll be forming up on your flanks anytime now."

"Isn't that a little too…"

"No arguments, Captain. It's already a greatly reduced number from the fleet initially proposed," Yuno retorted firmly, "I won't take any chances at losing an important ship and crew such as yours Soban."

"Alright then," Soban sighed, "I see the ships forming up around us. We should be ready for the jump now."

"To avoid detection of the Grand Core's power signature, I can only jump you as far as the Great Wastelands. You'll have to continue the rest of the journey on your own hyperspace jumps. When you retrieve Karan and the _Sajuuk_, use the Three Cores to get back to the Southern Fringe. Understood?"

"Got it, Yuno."

"Hyperspace coordinates locked in. Captain Soban, good luck."

"No worries, we'll get back in one piece."

"Grand Core engaged!"

The _Gatekeeper_ and the taskforce vanished into hyperspace.

* * *

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

Queen Dosis ended her long discussion and shut down the Exchange Unit. She waved a hand and attendants came forward to remove the Unit. At this moment, a messenger came in with news.

"My Queen, the Fleet has arrived," the messenger reported, "They are parking in high orbit right now, and Karan is being brought down via shuttle."

"Excellent," commented Dosis, "What about the _Sajuuk_?"

"The _Sajuuk _is being docked with the _Stargazer_ and we are putting our science teams onboard right now. We should be able to gain control of the ship in the next few hours."

"When will the Sajuuk-Khar arrive?"

"Anytime within the hour. I suppose you wish me to relay the message to the kitchens?"

"Of course, and tell them to hurry. The Imperial Banquet must be ready by the time Karan steps into this hall. You are dismissed."

The messenger left quickly and Queen Dosis got up, walking over to the window again. She took in a breath of fresh air, then went to get ready for the event.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, the Southern Fringe:**

Kiir opened his eyes as he removed himself from the system. At the same time, the doors to the bridge opened and in came Eefrit and his team.

"Good work Kiir on finding the bridge," Eefrit complimented as he set his men to their tasks, "You wanted to see me about something?"

"Yes, I would like to return to the _Legacy of Kharak_ at once to continue my research."

"I see. Well, that is granted then."

"But I also need full access to construction and sensor systems for my research. In fact, I need the capabilities for hyperspace module construction."

"That's a lot of stuff you're asking for," Eefrit whistled, "Why do you need all that suddenly?"

"I went through the databanks of the _Koshiir Ra_ and got this insight regarding hyperspace technology. I'd like to put it into practice right away."

"Well then, I think I can grant that too," replied Eefrit, "Good luck to your research then."

"Thanks a lot, Eefrit," Kiir beamed as he raced for the door, "See you around!"

Kiir ran down the corridor, increasing his speed via his abilities. He was anxious to put this new discovery into reality right away, and the idea of Far Jumping being finally within their grasp was irresistible. Most importantly, if his experiment worked, he could at last complete his dream.

His dream was not to replicate the Far Jumper, but to transcend it. It was, after all, the next logical step.

It didn't take him long to reach the hangar bay. Wasting no time, he hopped onboard a shuttle bound for the _Legacy _and the ship shot off into space. Watching the massive Mothership loom up before him, Kiir could barely contain his excitement.


	24. Shattering Encounter

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 23: SHATTERING ENCOUNTER**

"_All that research has not gone to waste, as the secret to Far Jumping is finally within our grasp. It turned out that the hypothesis was correct – the Hyperspace Cores use supremely refined and accurate algorithms, allowing them to jump ships farther at relatively lower energy costs. Now that the recipe is out, it's just a matter of time before we can apply the same algorithms to our own hyperspace modules."_

"_Curiously enough, the Grand Core operates on a totally different principle. Apparently, as both Hiigaran and Progenitor research has shown, faster-than-light travel within hyperspace has a speed limit at around 1 billion times the speed of light. Yet, the Grand Core is somehow able to break this limit and even operate at a speed triple that of the maximum velocity."_

"_This new discovery points to one possibility – that the Grand Core somehow bends the Laws of Physics governing hyperspace to allow velocities past the maximum. This would be similar to the concept of pulling hyperspatial fabric around a target vessel to achieve hyperspatial velocities – by isolating the target from realspace and the Physical Laws governing the dimension."_

_Kiir Sjet's research logs

* * *

_

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

Karan Sjet walked into the banquet hall dressed in an elegant gown the Nalthorans had provided. She was also escorted by a dozen heavily armed guards. The Nalthorans apparently refused to underestimate Karan's potential to escape.

The Sajuuk-Khar sat down calmly at the table, admiring the exquisite floral decorations and shimmering chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling. She didn't have to wait long before Queen Dosis came walking in with her cabinet of ministers and officials.

As soon as everyone was seated at the long table, Queen Dosis stood up to begin the Banquet.

"Greetings to one and all," Queen Dosis started, "It is my great pleasure to announce that this year, we have a very special guest in attendance of the Royal Banquet. She is none other than Karan Sjet of the Hiigaran Republic, otherwise known as the Sajuuk-Khar."

Everyone at the table clapped politely and looked towards Karan, who responded with a slight smile. She wished that Queen Dosis would do away with all the diplomatic extras and come straight to the point.

"Well then, I hereby begin the Royal Banquet! It is my greatest hope and wish that you leave no morsel unturned and enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"

Queen Dosis clapped her hands twice, and then sat down as the butlers came out bearing luscious delicacies of the Nalthoran culture. The plates of steaming hot food were set down upon the table, and everyone began devouring the feast.

Karan felt appalled by all the formalities and courtesies. Out there in space, dozens of worlds were falling to the Progenitor invasion and the Nalthorans were still indulging in such pleasures. She looked to Queen Dosis with a steely gaze, and got an ambivalent one in return. Whatever Dosis was up to, she could not fathom.

Karan ate very little – not because she disliked Nalthoran cuisine, but because she was trying to think of how to establish a diplomatic discussion with the Queen in such a setting. The minutes dragged on as the Banquet continued, and the hall was silent except for the munching and crunching of the ministers and officials.

At last, Karan could bear the silence no longer and stood up abruptly, shocking everyone with her suddenness.

"Queen Dosis, I came here to have a word with you as the leader of the Hiigaran Republic, not to dine and feast!" Karan spoke loudly, refusing to hide her displeasure at the whole event.

"My dear Karan," Dosis began, "There is a time and place for everything. Right now is the time to feast, and no discussion of any kind shall take place at this moment."

"You know that I specifically asked for an audience so that I might understand your intentions for capturing the _Sajuuk_," Karan retorted strongly, "What you have just done was an audacious act that threatens to destabilise the situation in the Galaxy, which isn't very stable to begin with right now!"

"I understand the intentions regarding your request, but I must reiterate that the Royal Banquet has rules governing it," the Queen replied firmly, "In all our history, we have never discussed political or business matters at the banquet table…"

"Then you will all fall when the Progenitors come!" Karan yelled, unable to contain her emotions any longer, "When the Progenitors come to invade, they will spare no planet or ship. Every one of you will be cruelly and mercilessly slaughtered while they pursue the _Sajuuk_! Queen Dosis, I beseech you to come to your senses! The times we live in are dangerous times…"

"That is enough, Sajuuk-Khar!" Queen Dosis roared, bringing her fist down heavily on the table, "Understand that you are currently a prisoner and have absolutely no rights whatsoever, be it requests for audiences or anything else. Though, I must add that the information you quoted is woefully incorrect…"

With that, Queen Dosis summoned an attendant and whispered a few words into his ear. The attendant nodded and walked off quickly to perform his task. Dosis looked back at Karan, who was showing a mix of anger and puzzlement on her face.

"I have asked an attendant to bring something, it will answer some of your questions. Until then, you would be wise to continue the feast in silence, for the consequences are dire."

Karan saw no choice but to sit down and resume her meal. She sipped her soup slowly, awaiting the return of the attendant. Sure enough, he did, carrying a mini holographic projector with him. The attendant set the projector down beside the table and the hall lights dimmed. With the touch of a few buttons, the projector shimmered into life.

"What you are about to see was recorded onboard a T-MAT megaship watching from afar. You may find it a little… disturbing," Queen Dosis commented as she looked haughtily at Karan. Karan's attention was now focused on the images being shown, and they were truly a nightmare.

Karan watched as the Six Fleets were brutally and mercilessly shot to pieces by the Vaygr Crusades. She watched as the carriers and destroyers crumbled under the onslaught of the Vaygr Trinity Cannons, while the battlecruisers were shattered by salvos of heavy missiles. Hiigaran interceptors and Acolytes screamed through the Void, struggling to stop the Vaygr fighter swarms. With a flash of projectiles, the strike craft tore apart.

The images of war now shifted to something far worse – Vaygr carriers moved into low Hiigaran orbit to deliver their vengeful payload. Karan groaned and wept as she saw the atmospheric deprivation warheads slam into Hiigara one after the other. Entire cities were wiped off the surface, whole continents burned. Only when Hiigara was reduced to a smouldering black ruin did the Vaygr halt their bombardment.

And now, the ultimate horror began. The Progenitor fleet hyperspaced in and took the Vaygr fleet head on. Karan saw the Vaygr being ripped to pieces and the mysterious subversion of the Progenitor fleet from the rear. She saw the Progenitors handle the infection skilfully, only to have an entire infected fleet jump in behind them.

Infection beams flared and blazed as the Keepers fell to the plague. The Vaygr saw their chance to escape but refused to do so, choosing to go down fighting. The _Oblivion_'s frontal section shattered as the _Qwaar Jet_ roared to life, turning around to face the desperate Progenitor fleet. The quantum energies built and then released in an angry flare of white and blue.

When Hiigara shattered, Karan screamed as though a thousand knives were cutting through her heart. The pieces of debris flew outward as the beam subsided, leaving only the newly infected Progenitor fleet. Memories of Kharak's Burning came flooding back.

There was no more Hiigara.

The projector powered down as Karan fainted from the emotional shock, tears rolling uncontrollably down her face. Queen Dosis smirked and signalled to the attendants.

"It appears that the Sajuuk-Khar is incapable of continuing with the Banquet. Take her away!" Dosis snapped.

Karan's limp body was dragged out of the hall.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, the Great Wastelands:**

Captain Soban watched as the rest of the taskforce exited hyperspace. He looked at the familiar scene of the Galactic Core in the distance and realised how much he had missed the place. Wasting no time, he gave his orders quickly.

"Status of the taskforce?"

"Taskforce has reverted to normal space and is awaiting further orders," came the reply of the communications officer, "Your will?"

"Synchronise hyperdrives and take us to Nalthora. We're pretty close and should have the range for a single jump. Helm, can you confirm?"

"Yep, we can make it to Nalthora with one jump," the Helm officer replied, "That is, if we do not encounter any hyperspace inhibitors along the way."

"The Nalthorans do not have inhibitor technology, so it should be of no problem. Soban to taskforce ships, stand by to synchronise hyperdrives on my mark. Coordinates are being uploaded to your NAV systems."

Soban consulted quickly with Engineering, and got the all-clear signal. They were ready.

"Alright then. Helm, take us to Nalthora."

The taskforce surrounded the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, which took a few moments to gather itself. Then, the fleet leapt to hyperspace.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

Kiir Sjet watched anxiously as the production lines put the finishing touches on the module. He had designed it hastily and fed the specs into the computer, hoping it would be able to come up with something concrete. The computer had considered the matter for a while, then exceeded expectations by building a prototype Far Jumper hyperspace module.

The module was very small, about the size of a small hovercar. But that was to be expected from a prototype model. If the trials were successful, they could then scale it up appropriately to fit onto starships, and Far Jumping would finally be achievable by all Hiigaran ships.

Yuno watched the whole affair from a camera feed with great interest and decided to help.

"Looks like you could use a hand with the data gathering, Kiir," Yuno started.

"Yuno!" Kiir exclaimed, "Sorry I didn't have time to say hi, I was just too eager to get started."

"I can see that. Well, that prototype module looks pretty good, how are you going to test it?"

"The module can store enough charge to take it on a 5000 light year jump. That should qualify as a Far Jump, shouldn't it?"

"Considering that the _Legacy_­'s hyperdrive never achieved the predicted 2000 light year jump range, it should more than qualify for "Far Jump." That said, I've already despatched a recon frigate to scan for data. I will jump it the moment you're ready."

"Gee, thanks for the help Yuno," Kiir replied sheepishly, "I can start anytime you know, just give me a set of coordinates."

"Coordinates? Alright, I'm uploading the data to your module now. It's based on the preliminary scans of the Southern Fringe, so we could use the additional scans anyway."

"Okay then, we can start."

Kiir keyed a few commands into his handheld computer and activated remote control of the module. He pressed a few buttons and the module began charging.'

"The charge shouldn't take longer than 30 seconds, after which I'll launch the thing into space and I can start the jump sequence."

"Alright, just give me the signal and I'll hyper that frigate in."

Seconds later, the charge was complete and the wires detached automatically. The conveyor belt lugged the module into the airlock and vented the thing into outer space. As soon as the module was far enough from the Mothership, Kiir Sjet activated the jump sequence.

Yuno picked up a mounting quantum waveform signature from the module as it opened its jump window, disappearing into the realm of hyperspace.

"There's no need to send that frigate now, the Grand Core can cover the distance in 50 seconds. However, the prototype is supposed to be operating at 10 000 000 c, so it'll take a little over 4 hours before it gets there." Kiir reminded.

"No problem, I can wait. We've nothing much to do but fleet expansion anyway. By the way, what else are you building?"

For Yuno had noted the assembly lines were still hard at work, putting together another device. Only this time, it was a unique design never seen before in all hyperspace module construction up till now.

"It's nothing, really," Kiir insisted, "If this Far Jump fails, then that new toy I'm making won't work either…"

"It doesn't matter whether it works or not, I'm interested to know!" Yuno pleaded.

"If so, it's best we keep it a surprise. These things can wait, can't they?" came the cool reply.

With that, Yuno gave a sigh and agreed not to pursue the matter any longer.

* * *

**Imperial Council, New Taiidan:**

"And that concludes my report on the Hiigarans' destruction," Admiral Ecron finished, looking expectantly at the Council members, "Are there any questions?"

"I have one, Sir Ecron," spoke one of the elders, "Your details on 'increased hyperspace activity' and the possibility of 'Beast-infected Progenitor ships' are sketchy at best, and does not warrant a complete evacuation of the Frontier regions. You understand that the evacuation will force us to abandon many valuable assets and resource-rich star systems. I'm not sure if that will be in the Imperium's best interests."

"I recommend immediate evacuation because of the speed with which the Enemy struck down the Hiigarans," replied Ecron, "Consider this: the Hiigarans were able to repel all our incursions made over the last century, and still have the resources to halt Makaan's invasion. Though they are our enemies, you cannot deny that they are to be respected for the power they wield. And yet, they fall instantly to the new Enemy we are about to face. Is that not a good enough indicator of what we are up against?"

"That may not be true. It is commonly agreed upon that despite their possession of the _Sajuuk_, the Hiigarans never really recovered from the Vaygr invasion," countered the Elder, "It is more likely that they succumbed because of their weakened state after the Vaygr siege."

"I concur," interjected another, "Admiral Ecron, perhaps all those years in space has had a debilitating effect on your… psyche."

"Gentlemen, I must remind you that now is not the time for politicking," Ecron reminded, "The situation we face right now is similar to one of old, during the Homeworld War. Remember when the Exiles first breached the Imperial perimeter? The Emperor gave it little thought, doubtful that a fleet of that size had the firepower and means to push through to Hiigara. And look what happened."

"Lies!" came the roaring response, "The Exiles had the aid of the Bentusi, who were not supposed to interfere according to their own directives! Even if the Emperor had mobilised the entire Imperial Fleet at the time, we would have stood little chance against the Exiles and their Bentusi friends! His hands were tied because of the Galactic Council! How dare you slander the Emperor's name!"

The Council table erupted in a tremendous uproar, each member trying to push his own agenda now. Some demanded that the Admiral step down immediately, while others argued that now was the chance to invade Hiigaran space. Chaos reigned throughout the room until the intercom system started buzzing urgently.

Admiral Ecron raised a hand for silence, and the Council reluctantly granted it. He hesitated for a moment before pushing the button. Ecron took care to broadcast the message across the Council room, making sure every one of them could hear what was coming.

"This is Admiral Ecron, what is the matter?"

Sir, we have lost contact with the Frontier Base _Echo III_. They reported an unstoppable assault by a substantial fleet of infected ships, including at least a dozen infected Progenitor Keepers.

"Do you have any sensor data regarding the current situation?"

The last sensor update reported a massive hyperspace inhibitor field and lots of ionic activity, probably ion cannons and plasma-based weaponry.

"Alright, set the fleet to Red Alert and begin extrapolating hyperspace trajectories to determine possible invasion corridors. That is all."

Admiral Ecron closed the channel and turned to the shocked faces of the Council.

"Gentlemen, the fleet beckons. I take my leave."

He bowed and strode quickly out of the room.

* * *

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

Karan had awakened, imprisoned in a guest suite, only to remember what she had just seen. She cried on the bed, staining the bedsheets with her tears. Hiigara was like a part of herself, a part of her soul. When it exploded, shattered under the firepower of the _Qwaar Jet_, she felt a part of her die away. Physically and emotionally exhausted by Dosis' cruel and blunt revelation, she cried herself to sleep.

Only to have the nightmares begin. Even in slumber, Karan was not spared. She was floating freely through space and saw the Hiigaran fleet under fire. One by one, the ships detonated, releasing great pockets of air and venting writhing Hiigarans into the cold hard vacuum of space. And then she saw the mighty _Qwaar Jet_, spreading its arrays like a flower. She screamed and glided between the ship and her home, trying to stop the inevitable.

The beam just blazed harmlessly through her, blasting away at the planet behind, and she saw the cruel scene once more.

Hiigara bursting into fire, shattering into a million pieces.

When Karan could stand it no longer, she awakened and left the cruel nightmare, eyes crimson from the relentless tearing. She didn't know what had rescued her from slumber – her own consciousness or the klaxons now blaring loudly throughout the complex.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, low orbit over Nalthora:**

"Captain, our hyperspace exit has not gone unnoticed," reported the sensors officer, "The Nalthoran fleet is moving from high orbit to engage us."

"That is to be expected," noted Captain Soban, "Engineering, are you 100 certain that phasing is possible within a gravity well?"

"It'll definitely work, since phasing is quite different from standard hyperspace entry despite the various similarities." Engineering reported.

"Alright then, Captain Soban to the taskforce – your job is to delay the Nalthoran fleet and engage them at maximum range. Carrier _Cosmos _will lead the boarding team to retrieve _Sajuuk_. I'm taking the Dreadnaught planetside to rescue Karan. Everyone clear?"

"Yes sir, we're on it." came the chorused reply.

The battlecruiser _Omniscient_ leapt forward with the destroyers _Sigma II_ and _Theta V_ to engage the incoming cruisers and frigates. Meanwhile, the _Cosmos_ trudged towards the _Stargazer_ and the docked _Sajuuk_, shielded from the strike craft swarms by the flak and torpedo frigates surrounding the carrier.

Captain Soban personally took the helm as he plunged the _Gatekeeper_ down into the Nalthoran atmosphere. Immediately, the descent through the atmosphere began showing itself as a brilliant vermillion glow against the Dreadnaught's shields. As the ship screamed through the clouds, Soban struggled to stabilise the ship's descent, diverting whatever power they had to the main drives and thrusters. He didn't know if the Dreadnaught was even designed to make planetfall.

Well, they would find out soon.

"Everyone hold onto something!" yelled Soban as he manoeuvred the _Gatekeeper_ in a series of sharp turns, each swerve bringing them closer to Nalthora's surface. The rest of the bridge officers held onto their consoles and handgrips so as not to lose their balance.

The Dreadnaught broke through the clouds and the re-entry heat dissipated. The Royal Palace was a few dozen kilometres ahead. The _Gatekeeper _shuddered as anti-aircraft missiles began slamming into its belly, accompanied by slashing laser bursts. The shields held, but the attack threatened to destabilise their descent.

Soban was unafraid, and continued to push the Dreadnaught past its limits. The hull groaned under the massive stress and the superstructure threatened to tear itself apart, but excellent Progenitor engineering held the whole thing together. The _Gatekeeper _was now a few kilometres above the ground, and impact was due in a few seconds.

"Engineering, full power to shields! People, hang tight!" Soban yelled as everyone braced for impact.

The Progenitor Dreadnaught ploughed into the city, demolishing every building in its path. The shields crackled and spat as they tried to protect the ship's underside, causing pure energy to arc and writhe all around the ship. Soban quickly recovered himself and powered up the thrusters in a bid to slow themselves down. With a roar, the thrusters activated and pushed hard against the thick Nalthoran atmosphere. Everyone held their breath until the _Gatekeeper_ came to a full stop several metres in front of the Royal Palace.

The ship continued to shake under the attack of Nalthoran ground forces outside, but Soban quickly assembled a strike team to get in and extract Karan. He would personally lead the team into battle.

As soon as the Dreadnaught's point defence systems came online, Soban and his team leapt out of the ship. The shields deactivated briefly for the group to get out, then powered up again to spare the hull from the beating of the Nalthorans' ground weapons. Soban had no trouble sneaking into the complex – the ground forces were all distracted by the superior firepower of the _Gatekeeper_'s point defences.

Doors slammed open as the strike team searched quickly through the palace, looking for any sign of Karan and the rest of the _Sajuuk_'s crew. Any guards they came across were quickly dealt with by a burst of bullets. Soban checked his wrist locator for a brief update on where they were, and the _Gatekeeper_'s sensors quickly enlightened him.

Barging into what seemed a prison cell for political prisoners, Soban and his team encountered heavily armed Nalthoran guards. The guards fired with their heavy rocket launchers and laser pistols, forcing them to retreat for safety. As they ducked behind the thick walls, the helm officer dug an ion grenade out of his pocket and hurled the bomb in.

Moments later, the room was illuminated by a burning flash of light that knocked all the guards unconscious. Sweeping in, they found the _Sajuuk_'s crew sealed in behind a forcefield. The field was brought down in seconds and the crews came swarming out, grabbing the weapons dropped by the unconscious guards.

"Captain Soban, it's good to see you," spoke the _Sajuuk_'s chief security officer, "According to the locator I have, Karan's being held in the east wing. The Queen's probably there too, so expect heavy resistance."

"I see. Is there any way we can get there without encountering the guards?"

"If you can somehow bring down the linkway between the east and west wings, we can probably take isolate the east wing from the rest of the complex and go in via the garden. The vegetation's pretty thick there, so we can go in hidden."

"Got it. Weapons officer?" Soban now spoke into his communicator.

"Weapons here, what do you want, Captain?"

"I need you to bring down the linkway between the east and west wings. Is that possible?"

"Consider it done. Cover your eyes and ears if you please."

Everyone wasted little time doing so as the Dreadnaught fired off a low power beam from the Phased Cannon Array. The blast burned through the air and smashed the linkway, reducing it to smithereens. The shockwave caused the whole complex to shake violently but everyone started running for the gardens immediately.

The expanded group was moving stealthily through the vegetation when an urgent message came through on Soban's communicator.

"Captain Soban, this is the carrier _Cosmos_. We have the _Sajuuk_ and are reconfiguring the Cores for an emergency wake jump to the Great Wastelands. The problem is, the T-MAT fleet has just hyperspaced into high orbit and is moving to intercept both the _Omniscient_ and _Sajuuk_. We don't have much time left."

"Point taken, we're nearly there. Soban out."

The team smashed their way through another door and ran up the stairs, following the security officer's locator. Another few turns and dashes and they would finally reach Karan.

The doors of the guest suite burst open as Soban's team swept in, only to stop abruptly.

Karan was being held at gunpoint by Queen Dosis herself. There were two guards by her side, each holding a high-yield grenade.

"I expected a rescue such as this," Dosis began, "But it all ends here right now. Make one wrong move and we shall all perish in the flames."

"Dosis, you're crazy," Karan spoke, "So the infection entity has the power to destroy planets, and they did Hiigara in first. What makes you think that Nalthora won't suffer the same fate?"

"Hiigara?" Soban spluttered, "Karan, what happened to Hiigara?"

"Shut up, you know I can't let either Karan or the _Sajuuk_ go," Dosis interrupted, her voice becoming one filled with anxiety, "Nalthora's existence depends on this. We know the T-MAT can't protect us from what is yet to come, so the _Sajuuk_ is our only hope of leaving this terrible place."

"You know that we don't have to leave," Karan urged, "If we were to combine the forces of both our fleets, we might stand a chance…"

"Silence! The T-MAT's will is ultimate! They promised us a route out of the Galaxy if we complied with their instructions, and so we cannot let go of the _Sajuuk_!"

As if to defuse the situation, Soban's communicator crackled to life.

"Soban, this is _Cosmos_, you're not going to believe this, the commander breathed heavily, A large Progenitor fleet has just jumped in behind the T-MAT, and they have a _Sajuuk_-class vessel with them. You need to leave now!"

The room was silent as the sudden revelation sunk in. Queen Dosis murmured something then dropped her pistol, letting Karan go. Dosis collapsed to the floor, muttering in resignation.

"It's over… our culture, our heritage, our history… it's all over…" she repeated over and over again.

Karan stepped forward and helped the Queen up, asking the two shocked guards to take care of her. Then she closed her eyes and focused on a message in her mind.

"Help."

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Southern Fringe:**

Yuno could not understand what had happened. Kiir Sjet had launched himself into the _Legacy_'s systems and locked her out! Was this an act of betrayal?

"Kiir, what in Kharak's name are you doing?" Yuno yelled behind the lock program that held her in, "Why are you doing this?"

"No time for explanations Yuno," Kiir replied as he summoned up all the programs and quickly reconfigured everything under his control, "I heard a cry for help, and I have to answer it."

"What kind of message?"

"You'll see."

Kiir vanished from view as he jumped to the _Koshiir Ra_'s systems. Eefrit began swearing as he found himself getting locked out of the _Koshiir Ra_'s control systems.

And then the Grand Core hauled them all into hyperspace.

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, high orbit over Nalthora:**

Kaark gazed in awe at the mighty _Sajuuk_. In just a few minutes, that ship would be within range of their long range infection beams, and the conquest could really get started. He cared little for the pitiful Hiigaran carrier fleet trying desperately to keep them away from the _Sajuuk_, and so he chose to ignore them completely. They could always be subverted later.

For now, the T-MAT were putting up one heck of a fight. The Unbound fleet used their excellent manoeuvrability to evade and dodge their assaults while raining ion beams upon the advancing Keepers. But the T-MAT could only do so much.

Kaark sent the mental thought through the fleet and retaliated with a barrage of infection beams. Dozens of megaships were hit, and all chose destruction over subversion. The T-MAT fleet began lighting up with explosive flares.

The _Qwaar Jet_ moved casually through the chaos, shrugging off the T-MAT attacks with its energy shielding. Even when the T-MAT started hyperspacing reinforcements on top of them, Kaark chose to ignore them.

The God of Pain and Enslavement bloomed once more in space, spreading its massive quantum arrays in preparation for the decisive strike.

* * *

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

The group stepped out of the ruined Royal Palace. The ground forces had stood down and now focused on getting Queen Dosis to safety. As Karan helped Dosis onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, she knew that a silent alliance had been forged between them.

Then a Nalthoran soldier gasped as he looked to the sky. Karan and Soban followed his gaze, along with everyone else. Nalthora's primary star was setting and the sky was dimming except for a building brilliant spot of blue.

The Quantum Pulse Cannon.

Karan closed her eyes and awaited the inevitable.

* * *

**High orbit over Nalthora:**

The T-MAT fleet saw what was coming, and quickly moved the bulk of their fleet out of the cannon's firing arc. The sphere of quantum energies gathered at the _Qwaar Jet_'s front continued to glow more brilliantly and increase in size. Then, the beam fired, not as a wide shockwave beam like at Hiigara, but a focused tight aqua beam that would finish the planet more quickly.

The beam of pure hyperspace tore through normal space and looked poised to doom Nalthora to oblivion when… it contacted with an invisible wall and exploded outwards, scattering around what seemed to be a spherical force field. Kaark was shocked at the sudden turn of events and watched the sensors closely.

Blue hyperspace windows started opening behind the distortion field, releasing the Exodus Fleet into realspace. As the force of the Quantum Pulse Cannon dissipated around the field, a yellow hyperspace window opened and slid back to reveal another _Sajuuk_-class ship.

_Koshiir Ra_ had arrived.


	25. Clash of Three Ultimates

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 24: CLASH OF THREE ULTIMATES**

"_Broken friendship is best mended by Tragedy or Apology."_

_Source unknown

* * *

_

**Imperial Hive, Nalthoran Capital City:**

Karan Sjet opened her eyes, expecting to see herself on the Other Side. Naturally, she was incredulous when she noticed that they were still in one piece. The city was smouldering from the Dreadnaught crash, but the planet seemed largely intact.

She looked to Captain Soban for news, and he responded with a relieved look.

"Good news Karan. The Exodus Fleet arrived just moments ago," Soban reported, "They managed to intercept the _Qwaar Jet_'s blast with the _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field."

"_Koshiir Ra_? You people managed to find the last ship?"

"It took a few coincidences and lucky guesses, and we managed it alright," came the reply, "Now we should continue our conversation later. We need to get you onboard the ship ASAP."

Karan nodded and walked briskly into the _Gatekeeper_'s airlock. As the last of the royal retinue boarded the ship, the airlock closed with a dull thud. Soban wasted no time contacting Engineering.

"Engineering, Soban here. I assume we have insufficient drive power for escape velocity?" Soban enquired.

If our predictions are correct, we'll only be able to reach 85 of Nalthora's escape velocity.

"Well then, I hope you're right about the phasing sequence."

The Dreadnaught shuddered as its thrusters came online, blasting away at the shattered ground beneath. As the ship staggered off the crash site, Soban prayed for a miracle.

The _Gatekeeper_ phased out.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, low orbit over Nalthora:**

Yuno was relieved to have control restored to her. Kiir Sjet was managing the systems onboard the _Koshiir Ra_ along with Eefrit and his team. Coordinating fleet actions would be up to her now.

"Yuno to fleet, we are dealing with an infection entity that has transcended the Beast in many ways. For the duration of this operation and war with that entity, we have given it the codename "Neo-Beast." Remember that they have subverted Progenitor ships among their forces, so this is going to be a tough fight."

"Your objectives will be to provide support to the T-MAT fleet against the Neo-Beast until we can get the Nalthoran royalty and Karan off the planet. The Nalthorans are also launching what few colony ships they managed to fill in the past few days, so we have to buy as much time as possible."

"Strike craft and frigates will move forward to cover the T-MAT flanks from the Neo-Beast Drones and fighters. Destroyers, heavy dreadnoughts and battlecruisers shall engage the Neo-Beast capital ships at maximum range, focusing fire on infection-capable vessels."

Yuno paused and wondered if she had forgotten anything. Moments later, she concluded the briefing.

"Your objectives are clear. Let's go!"

The Exodus Fleet leapt into action, fighters and corvettes swarming from their docking bays. As the Hiigaran capital ships moved forward with their strike craft escorts, they were quickly joined by their Nalthoran equivalents. The T-MAT made no comment, but from their actions signified that they too were part of the new alliance.

The unified force entered the battlefield.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, low orbit over Nalthora:**

Eefrit was manning the main computer terminal, and he was displeased with what he saw.

"Kiir, that last Quantum Pulse hit brought the Distortion Field down to 70 percentpower. I fear that we may not be able to protect the planet for long."

"No worries Eefrit," came Kiir's reply, "I'm rerouting power from all non-essential systems to the field generators. It should be enough to block four more hits."

"If there's anything that pisses me off about this ship," Eefrit complained, "It's that fact that it lacks a single gun to shoot with!"

"It's to be expected from a defensive vessel. Alright, I'm bringing the ship forward to project a forward field around the _Sajuuk_. We'll be leaving the protection of the planetary distortion field, so be prepared for hits."

With a mighty roar, the _Koshiir Ra_'s main drives came to life, and it advanced beyond the protective barrier it had erected around Nalthora. Almost instantly, Keepers came surging forward from the main battle, ignoring the assaults of the combined fleet. Wasting no time, Kiir quickly projected a localised distortion field around the ship.

The Keepers opened fire, blasting away with ion beams and plasma bolts, but their assaults merely grazed the _Koshiir Ra_'s defensive field. Onboard the ship, Eefrit was amazed to feel only the slightest vibrations.

"Two minutes before we're within projection range of the _Sajuuk_." Kiir noted.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, high orbit over Nalthora:**

Captain Soban was relieved to see that the phasing sequence had gotten them off the planet. The only problem was that they had exited hyperspace right smack in the middle of the space battle.

The shields had been brought up in the nick of time and the _Gatekeeper_ shook as the Neo-Beast fleet opened fire on them. Soban would have stayed to assist the combined fleet, but he had important personnel on board. He quickly got over to the helm controls and steered the Dreadnaught towards the _Sajuuk_.

Soban cursed and swore as ion beams and plasma bolts continued to pummel the Dreadnaught's shields. He prayed for them to hold long enough, but Engineering told him otherwise.

"Captain, shields are at 80percent and falling fast. We can't hold off this barrage forever!"

"Then dump whatever power we've got into those shields! I need enough shield power to get us to the _Sajuuk_!"

Everyone held on for dear life as the _Gatekeeper_ was rocked by yet another explosion. As Soban scrambled to stay at the helm controls, he was horrified to see a Keeper trying to ram them.

To the relief of everyone onboard, a T-MAT megaship swept in and sliced the Keeper to pieces with its ion beams.

_"It appears that we may have been wrong about you Hiigarans,_ the collective voice spoke, _We will do what we can to get you to the _Sajuuk_ safely."_

Soban was amazed when he saw six T-MAT megaships arrange themselves into a spherical formation around the _Gatekeeper_. Now that they had the Unbound on their side, things were starting to look up.

"Alright then," Soban yelled, "Full speed ahead!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, high orbit over Nalthora:**

Kaark watched the battle unfold before his eyes, and was most annoyed by the sudden change in circumstances. Just minutes ago he was on the verge of destroying another planet, only to have the wretched _Koshiir Ra_ show up at the last minute.

He watched the combined fleet push through his defending fleet, which was struggling to inflict damage on the intrepid defenders. However, the Hiigarans had been quick to update their T-MAT and Nalthoran allies with Kiir Sjet's Quantum Distortion Algorithm, which the allied fleet was now using to great effect. Ion beams and plasma bolts from the Keepers were rendered useless as they bounced harmlessly off the localised distortion fields.

Kaark watched the battle for some time and finally decided to even the odds a little. He sent another command through the systems, and the _Qwaar Jet_ responded.

Various gunports began opening across the _Qwaar Jet_'s hull, each glowing with increasing intensity. Then ion beams lashed forth from the gunports, bending in the influence of the gravitic focusing arrays to hit their targets.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

Yuno watched in stunned silence when the _Qwaar Jet _exploded in a fury of ionic energy. Now dozens of ion beams rained down upon the combined fleet, tracking their targets with lethal accuracy. The beams were lashing back and forth like glowing whips of hellish energy. Screams began cutting through the communications channels as frigates were sliced in half and destroyers pummelled to bits.

But the defenders refused to admit defeat. Hiigaran defence field frigates surged forth and deployed their defence fields, enveloping the Fleet in a protective blue glow. With some of the ionic assaults blocked off by the field, losses began to subside.

The T-MAT were stepping up their assaults now, each ion beam blasting an unshielded Keeper to dust. As the combined Fleet crept closer and closer to the _Qwaar Jet_, the T-MAT summoned the last of their reinforcements.

Yuno picked up dozens of hyperspace signatures behind the Neo-Beast fleet, and they equalled the number encountered at the Southern Fringe gate.

It was the T-MAT mothership fleet.

Now the mothership force began to attack the Neo-Beast fleet from the rear, while the combined Fleet pushed on from the front.

It was then that Yuno picked up an energy spike coming from the _Qwaar Jet_. When she saw what was coming, she screamed for everyone to get out of the way.

"Yuno to allied forces, _Qwaar Jet_ is powering up the Quantum Pulse Cannon! Stand clear, I repeat, stand clear!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_:**

"Eefrit, I'm picking up an energy spike from the _Qwaar Jet_," Kiir reported urgently, "They are going to fire that cannon again!"

"Has the Fleet been informed?" the Admiral asked anxiously, "That cannon alone has enough firepower to wipe the defenders out!"

"I think Yuno's already sent the warning. The Fleet is taking evasive action and everyone's trying to get out of the way. But in the circumstances with all the Keepers…"

Kiir was interrupted as the _Koshiir Ra_ shuddered from some massive impact. Lights flickered slightly as everyone struggled to get back to their stations. Various viewscreens flickered on to display the _Qwaar Jet_ lashing at them with all of its ion warp turrets.

Their advance had not gone unnoticed.

Almost immediately after the first strike, the _Qwaar Jet_ fired its main cannon again, sending a blue streak of energy hurtling towards Nalthora. The beam cut through the Void that had once been occupied by the Fleet and slammed viciously into the protective field. The distortion field held stubbornly, but began to crackle from the loss of power.

"Kiir, what's the status on the planetary shield?" Eefrit enquired.

"55 percentpower after that last hit, and those bendy ions cut our local field to 95 percent. I'm throwing whatever power this ship's got into the generators already!"

"Will we still have enough power to shield the _Sajuuk_?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll do my best… crap the _Qwaar Jet _is powering up its infection beams!"

Various spikes now jutted out from the _Qwaar Jet_'s sides as they powered up for a good infection shot at the _Sajuuk_. Moments later, a flurry of beams was unleashed alongside an infection salvo from the _Epsilon V_ Neo-Beast mothership at the rear. With an innumerable number of beams all headed for the unprotected _Sajuuk_, Kiir thought that all had been lost.

At the very last moment, the beams were deflected by a series of quantum distortions put up hastily by the _Gatekeeper_ and her T-MAT escort.

They had reached the _Sajuuk_ in one piece.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, high orbit over Nalthora:**

Karan wasted no time getting to her command cubicle. As she stepped into the anti-gravity capsule, the med teams rushed in and began preparing Karan for insertion. Outside, Soban was using the Dreadnaught's hyperspace module to shield the _Sajuuk_ as best as he could, along with the T-MAT megaships. However, every quantum distortion they brought up only caused more infection beams to flare from the _Qwaar Jet_ and _Epsilon V_. Sooner or later, there would be too many beams and too few distortions.

Time was something they no longer possessed.

Karan's visual feeds were plugged in first and she was immediately elevated back into her Unbound status. Watching the battle around the ship, she saw the _Qwaar Jet_ unleash another Quantum Pulse shot into the withering planetary shield around Nalthora. Meanwhile, it was maintaining a spirited attack on the _Koshiir Ra_, which had been forced to halt by the fierce assaults.

She marvelled at the _Koshiir Ra_'s capabilities. Even though the _Qwaar Jet _was firing more than 20 rapid-fire ion beams at the ship, the vessel's protective field absorbed all the punishment silently.

Now the secondary feeds were plugged in, giving Karan access to internal non-essential systems. Using her newly-returned abilities, she now ran diagnostics across the entire vessel. Karan was relieved to find that repairs to the _Sajuuk_'s control systems were complete.

Ending what was probably the fastest Unbound insertion in galactic history, the primary feeds were plugged in. Karan took a few seconds to adjust to the sudden mental stress, then opened her eyes.

_Sajuuk_ was alive once again.

The first thing Karan did was to activate the _Sajuuk_'s energy shielding, sparing the megaships and the Dreadnaught from the hectic distortion field generation.

"Karan, you're plugged in that quickly?" Soban asked over the channel, incredulous that the process had taken so little time.

"Well, it was nerve-wracking, but we've got our objectives," replied Karan, "Captain Soban, I need you to target the _Qwaar Jet _with the Phased Cannon Array. Surely they can't shrug off a joint blast from the _Gatekeeper_ and the _Sajuuk_ at the same time."

"Roger that, relaying orders to Weapons Control now!"

The _Sajuuk_ roared away from the Nalthoran mothership_ Stargazer_, which had not too long ago taken it prisoner. Now the Nalthoran mothership was also providing supplies and support to the Fleet, which was still trying to neutralise the Keeper threat.

As the _Sajuuk_ brought its main weapon to bear on the _Qwaar Jet_, the Dreadnaught moved into position at its side and aimed its main gun as well. Both ships began glowing as they charged up for a joint Phased Cannon Array blast.

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_:**

Kaark cursed and spat at the image before his eyes. _Sajuuk_ was operating on its own power and now sought to impale the ship with that wretched Phased Cannon Array. In the final few seconds before the Arrays discharged, Kaark pushed whatever power he could spare into the energy shields and reinforced the organic armor layering on the ship's left side.

The vessel rocked violently as the yellow beams blasted into the _Qwaar Jet_'s side. The shields shimmered and dispersed under the assault, exposing the hull to the blast.

Kaark roared in defiance as the beams faded. Analysing the damage, he found it to be most undesirable. The beams had breached the hull in several places, and destroyed one of the Quantum Focusing Arrays. If not for the organic reinforcement of the _Qwaar Jet_'s superstructure, the ship would have succumbed to the attack.

It was time to retaliate, and retaliate he did by turning the ion warp turrets from the _Koshiir Ra_ to the _Sajuuk_.

He also decided it was time to use his trump card.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_:**

The Great Maker shuddered in the sudden ionic assault. The energy shielding struggled to hold off the attacks, but dispersed in several places. Ion beams slammed into the _Sajuuk_'s hull, opening decks to space and damaging various systems.

Karan felt the ship's pain and reeled slightly. She quickly compensated by activating the Three Cores and projecting a quantum distortion around the vessel to prevent more damage.

"Karan! Are you alright? That last salvo looked pretty nasty!" Soban's voice cut in anxiously.

"We've just suffered moderate hull damage, nothing too serious. Captain Soban, the _Qwaar Jet _is bringing its weapons to bear on the _Sajuuk_. You had better get your ship out of the way or you'll be caught in the crossfire!"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to leave anytime soon. After all, the _Sajuuk_ is supposed to be fighting with the assistance of the Dreadnaughts. Even though there's only one left, it's better than nothing."

"Very well then. Captain Soban, when this is all over, I'll see to it that…"

Karan paused in mid sentence as she picked up anomalous energy readings from the _Qwaar Jet_. Checking the readings, she could not believe her eyes.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

Yuno had picked up the readings too, and she too could not believe what the sensors were telling her.

"Yuno to _Koshiir Ra_, Kiir, do you read?"

"Kiir here. What's up Yuno?"

"The _Legacy_'s sensors are picking up something really weird about the _Qwaar Jet_. Can you confirm?"

"Hold on a sec, let me check…" Kiir went silent for a few seconds before returning to the conversation. "By the Gods of Kharak, there is no mistaking it."

"Are you sure about it, Kiir?" Yuno asked hesitantly, hoping there was some mistake.

"Those readings… they are consistent with infinite gravitic readings of singularities…"

_"Qwaar Jet_'s making a black hole?"

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_:**

"Captain! You've got to see this!" the sensors officer yelled, his voice shaking with fear.

"Patch it through to the main viewscreens."

The viewscreens flickered as they switched to a zoomed-in view of the _Qwaar Jet_. Soban gasped when he saw the ship.

The _Qwaar Jet_ was focusing quantum energies at its front yet again, but this time the energies appeared to be surrounding something small and intense. Within the blue sphere of light was a spot of darkness, and it appeared to be growing along with the quantum energy sphere.

"The sensor readings… what do they say about that phenomenon?" Soban asked, even though he knew the answer.

"The _Qwaar Jet_'s inducing a localised quantum singularity. If fired, I fear even _Koshiir Ra_'s shield will fail to hold."

"What is the _Qwaar Jet_'s target?"

"From its current position, most probably Nalthora. That means that the motherships, command ships and carriers are in danger as well, for they are in low orbit!"

"Damn it, we have to retreat." Soban muttered, "Does Karan know about…"

"I already know, and so does Yuno," Karan's voice came in, "We are broadcasting the information to the Nalthoran and T-MAT fleets. The Nalthoran colony ships in orbit carry a total of three million colonists, it will have to do."

"Wait Karan!" Now Kiir interrupted on another channel, "I'm shutting down _Koshiir Ra_'s local field to divert power to the planetary shield. I'm sure it will hold…"

"Kiir Sjet, I'm afraid it will not hold!" Karan rebutted," Nalthora is lost, and we have to flee while we still can. Yuno's standing by to pull everyone into hyperspace with the Grand Core. We can always return to fight another day."

"But…"

"No buts, Kiir Sjet. I understand your intentions, but we can't win all the time. I hope you can understand."

"… Yes Karan." Kiir replied before cutting off communications.

* * *

The battle ended abruptly as the _Qwaar Jet_ released the singularity. Wasting no time, both Neo-Beast and Allied ships jumped into hyperspace to escape the eventual gravitic catastrophe.

The last ships to leave were the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_. Kiir tried to stay for as long as possible, maintaining the barrier until the very last moment. Eventually, the shimmering blue sphere impacted the planetary shield with cataclysmic force, dispersing the final remnants of the distortion field's power.

Karan watched as the isolating quantum energies dissipated, dropping the singularity into realspace. With a mental thought, she summoned forth all the energies of the Three Cores and pulled both ships into hyperspace.

As the quantum wavefronts swept the lengths of the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_, the tiny black hole pulled everything within its grasp. Nalthora's atmosphere was stripped off, the planet's life-sustaining gases spiralling into the point of infinity. Those lucky enough to escape painful asphyxiation were crushed instantly by the sheer gravitational forces.

But the singularity's hunger had yet to be satisfied. It continued to rip chunks of rock off Nalthora, swallowing entire continents in mere moments. The planet shattered in the merciless grip of the black hole's gravity while the singularity began to shrink. In the end, the fabric of space time closed over the black hole, healing itself rapidly.

Nalthora was gone.


	26. Despair and Hope

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 25: DESPAIR AND HOPE**

"_There will come a time in the Age of Sjet where old conflicts shall pale and a new horror shall arise."_

"_It is during this time that homes shall be lost and the Exiles stretched to their limits."_

"_But this concerns not the Exiles alone."_

"_There are only two outcomes: Victory or Utter Defeat."_

_Last words in Bentusi Prophecy salvaged from the Bentusi Ruins

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, the Great Wastelands:**

Karan Sjet opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of a crowded command room. A silence gripped the place as the officers and commanders wondered what it was that Karan was going to tell them.

The escape from Nalthora had been a hasty one. Most fleet jumps required tremendous coordination involving hyperspace module synchronisation and complex ship positioning. In this case, the entire process had been driven by the urgency of three civilisations' survival and a touch of panic. Captains had been ordered to stand down in the midst of chaotic firefights, praying that they entered hyperspace before their ships succumbed to the enemy attacks.

As such the hyperspace exit in the Great Wastelands was totally disorganised. It took the fleet nearly an hour to account for missing pilots and ships. As soon as the counting was done, Karan had issued the urgent order to meet every officer of authority in the fleet for a briefing.

"It is good to be back onboard the _Sajuuk_," Karan began, choosing to speak rather than broadcast through the computer system, "And it is a tremendous relief to see that much of the fleet has remained intact."

At that, every officer in the room rose up in applause to briefly celebrate Karan's safe return. Now the Exodus Fleet was finally complete. Karan nodded slightly and signalled for silence. The clapping died down quickly and she continued.

"I thank you all for your concern. However, I must warn you about what I am about to reveal, for this information will probably be the worst since the Burning of Kharak."

Karan paused to take a breath, the command room now eerily silent except for the soft murmurs of computer interfaces. Sighing, she dimmed the room lights and brought the crowd's attention to a holographic projector with the wave of a hand. As the projector flickered to life with the image of Hiigara, Karan turned away and closed her eyes. She was not prepared to go through this again.

The video played on and the silence remained unbroken. Occasionally a stifled gasp would erupt from the audience, but what they were seeing was beyond any form of emotional expression.

The painful seconds passed by and the projector concluded its presentation at long last. Karan restored the lighting to their original brightness, but it failed to overcome the gloom and darkness that now shrouded the room.

"I understand that it is an emotional tragedy for all of us here in the Exodus Fleet, but I must ask you to be strong and relate this to those under you in as tactful a way as possible. While there will be a time for us to mourn the loved ones we've lost, we must keep morale up in the current crisis we are facing."

With that, Karan waved her hand and ended the briefing. It took a while before the stunned officers could gather themselves sufficiently to get up and leave the room. Eventually, the command room was empty save for Admiral Eefrit, Captain Soban and General Qwaar.

"How are the Nalthorans taking it?" Karan enquired, "The loss of a home planet will surely be devastating to royalty and commoners alike."

"Their morale is pretty low but it'll pass," Soban mumbled, "I'm guessing that they'll be wanting revenge soon enough."

"I see. General Qwaar, how will your Kiith respond to the news? You understand that the Somtaaw's mining services will be crucial to the…"

"…They'll just feel a sense of loss, but nothing else," Qwaar Somtaaw replied, "We Somtaaw have always regarded our command ships as our true homes ever since the Landfall. To us, the stars are our place. Hiigara is widely regarded as just our place of origin."

"That is good to hear. Admiral Eefrit, how is Kiir Sjet? I believe he had secretly hacked into Nalthoran Fleet Command's databanks back then and discovered the news before this meeting."

"Last I saw him, he was back onboard the _Legacy_ analysing the data beamed back by his test Core. He seems alright." Eefrit responded.

"Test Core? Kiir surely shows a lot of promise. He will bring great things for all of us," Karan commented, "You all look tired. Please get some rest while there is time."

The trio bowed solemnly and walked off.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Great Wastelands:**

For the previous few minutes, Yuno had been accessing video feeds and internal sensors across the Mothership in an attempt to find Kiir. In the end, she found him where she least expected him to be – his hyperspace research laboratory. While the rest of the crew were in their quarters mourning the loss of Hiigara, Kiir was busily working on his hyperspace project.

"Kiir, what are you doing?" Yuno asked gently, treading carefully.

"I just got the data back, the jump worked," Kiir muttered, "I'm just sending the self-destruct command so that the Tobari don't get hold of the test Core."

"You know, you don't need to act as though nothing happened. The loss of our home is reason enough for an emotional breakdown you know…"

"I'm fine." Kiir snapped, his attention completely focused on the screen of data before him.

"Kiir Sjet, it's not good to hold it all in," Yuno continued, "When you need to let it out, you should do so without worry."

There was an uneasy silence, which was later broken by the sound of Kiir kicking the console angrily. He buried his face in his hands, trying to contain the emotions surging within him.

"Those monsters… they actually went and killed off entire planets just like that…" Kiir stammered in rage, "They showed absolutely no regard for life whatsoever… they just went and fired that beam…"

"Take it easy Kiir, for now we can't handle them because…"

"I won't let them off… in the name of Hiigara and Nalthora I WILL NOT LET THEM OFF!" Kiir yelled as his anger hit its peak, sending telekinetic shockwaves reverberating through the room. Yuno was alarmed when internal sensors began registering a dangerously high energy spike in the laboratory.

"Kiir! Get a grip! You're going to destroy the ship if this keeps up!" Yuno nearly screamed, watching the energy levels go higher and higher. Then, the spike vanished as abruptly as it had come.

Kiir was still huddled at his desk, shivering with anger, but his rage soon subsided and he composed himself. When Yuno saw him return calmly to his work, she heaved a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to return to her task of managing the ship, Kiir suddenly spoke again.

"You know, Yuno, that we can't touch the Neo-Beast now because of their superior technology and weapons. Even with the aid of the Nalthorans and the T-MAT we will still be unable to deal with their infection beams and the _Qwaar Jet_."

"Yes Kiir, but that can be easily overcome. We are considering forging an alliance with the Imperial-Turanic Raider Alliance for additional firepower…"

"That won't be necessary," Kiir interrupted, gesturing to the module of unknown design that he had built in the Southern Fringe, "This will be the means to our salvation."

"That module? Yuno asked, intrigued by the mystery surrounding it, What is it?"

"It combines the principles of hyperspace and phasing technology. For that reason, I call it the Hyperphase Drive. It will revolutionise faster-than-light travel and also the way we carry out our battles. Given the success of my test Core, it means that the equations used in the Hyperphase Drive will be correct. As such I am already building a scaled up replica for full testing."

"A replica?" It took Yuno a few seconds of checking through the computer systems before she saw what Kiir was driving at, "By Kharak, you've designed a battlecruiser!"

"That's not all," Kiir smiled, gazing at the stunned look on Yuno's face. Yuno took that as a hint and checked the ship records again, gasping when she found it. Somehow Kiir had managed to sneak an illegal ship construction request to the _Shipyard Naabal_ back when they were in the Southern Fringe. A battlecruiser was now taking shape in the construction bays of the shipyard and scheduled for launch in the next 20 hours.

"Kiir, you know that what you just did was illegal," Yuno reminded, "But since it's for a greater cause… anyway these specifications, I've never seen them before! Take for instance the power system, do you mean to say that you've reverse-engineered the Grand Core's Quantum Tappers?"

"That was easy compared with replicating a Far Jumper," Kiir replied coolly, "I'll brief all of you with more details once the ship launches. Now shoo! I have work to do."

"Very well then. I look forward to the ship's launch. Yuno out."

The hologram shimmered out of view as Kiir turned back to his desk, scribbling another series of equations on scraps of paper.

"They will pay for what they've done…" he muttered under his breath.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"What's the status on the Frontier Guard?" Admiral Ecron asked.

"They are reporting heavy losses to the infection entity," replied the communications officer, "Analysis of defeated enemy vessels has revealed that the entity is a more highly evolved version of the Beast."

"Can they hold the line?"

"If the enemy doesn't hyper in reinforcements, they are confident of pushing those scum back beyond the Frontier… wait we are picking up an incoming transmission from the inhibitor outpost _Gamma VII_. Patching it through…"

The speakers crackled with static as the computers began compensating. Moments later, a voice came through.

_"Gamma VII_ to any fleet in range… Beast ships have emerged from hyperspace and are attempting to disable the hyperspace inhibitors… they are trying to punch an open path through to New Taiidan… we cannot hold them, require immediate assistance… repeat require BZZZKT!"

As the transmission ended, Admiral Ecron was already barking orders for the fleet to jump to hyperspace. It was then that the hyperspace NAV systems began warning that an inhibitor field was enveloping them. As the crews scrambled to deal with the sudden threat, sensor screens started to display an infected fleet emerging from hyperspace.

"Battlestations!" Ecron roared, "Let's show these slimy scum what we're made of!"

The _Merciless_ began launching Imperial heavy interceptors and Raider missile corvettes. The heavy interceptor had been designed by combining the best attributes of the Raider interceptor and the Triikor fighter, resulting in a space superiority craft that equalled the Hiigaran Interceptor's abilities at a much lower cost. It was equipped with dual rapid-fire heavy gauss cannons as well as an electromagnetic blast cannon. The EMB, as Imperial scientists had put it, was not only capable of disabling the target's electronics, but also possessed enough energy to punch through armor and melt whatever was in the way.

The Raider missile corvette's design had changed little since the Homeworld War, the only difference being that it had been upgraded with newer drives and deadlier missiles. The slower warheads had been replaced by reverse-engineered Vaygr Swarmer-type missiles that packed less firepower but tracked more quickly and efficiently.

The strike craft swarmed forward to meet the Neo-Beast's equivalents as they tried to buy time for the Imperial capital ships to get into position. The new Taiidani battle frigates, recent successors to the old assault frigates and ion frigates, formed a wall before the flagship and let loose their weapons on the infected fleet. Ion beams leapt forth to scorch the incoming capital ships while fast-tracking heavy mass drivers finished off strike craft in single shots.

The battlefield erupted as ships from both sides met their doom. Fighters blazed out of control, careening into nearby ships with devastating effect, while the infected ships continued to fire off their queer mixture of weapons. Some were Nalthoran craft, some were Hiigaran, but a majority were unknown ships claimed from the lesser-known races in the Galaxy.

Sensors began warbling as Keepers approached the capital ship formations. Wasting no time, Eefrit ordered the destroyers and battlecruisers to fire their energy burst weapons. The energy beams lanced into the Keepers, some destroying their targets while others were absorbed silently by the machines' energy shields.

The Keepers came within range despite the capital ships' best attempts and they fired off their infectious payload. As the infection spread rapidly, commanders and captains hurried in their attempts to vent drive plasma into the affected areas while maintaining fire on the seemingly invincible vessels.

The _Merciless_ was in the rear, yet the battle was quickly approaching it.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" muttered the admiral.

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, hyperspace transit:**

Kaark was shaken by the encounter at Nalthora. What had at first been a simple expedition to capture the _Sajuuk_ and subvert the Nalthorans had escalated into a frantic battle that had nearly ended his existence

He didn't count on _Koshiir Ra_ appearing out of nowhere and protecting the planet with its majestic shields. That was definitely not part of the plan.

The _Qwaar Jet_ was still recovering from the wounds inflicted by the _Sajuuk_ and its accompanying Dreadnaught. He would also be unable to use the Quantum Pulse Cannon until the energy banks were fully recharged again. That singularity event had taken almost all of the ship's power to create.

That was why he had moved on to Plan B. With the eastward invasion halted by the Hiigarans and their new-found allies, he would now push up north to subvert the Imperials there and strengthen his forces. Once the north was conquered, it would not take long for him to consolidate enough power to crush the last remnants of the Hiigaran resistance – _Sajuuk_, _Koshiir Ra_ and all.

There was one other concern he had. When the Hiigarans had jumped the entire allied force out, he had picked up a massive energy surge from the _Legacy of Kharak_ mothership. The energy signature definitely equalled, if not exceeded, the power of the Three Cores. Either the Hiigarans had managed to reverse-engineer Far Jumpers, which he doubted, or they were in possession of another Progenitor artefact.

Kaark took his mind off these matters when the ship exited hyperspace. A few more jumps and they would reach that stricken inhibitor outpost.

* * *

**Onboard the _Stargazer_, the Great Wastelands:**

Queen Dosis sat down in the royal room. She had been at a loss ever since the destruction of Nalthora. Now, they were alongside the Hiigarans and the T-MAT in a madcap quest through space with nowhere to go.

The only good news was that the majority of the Nalthoran fleet had managed to escape intact, along with three million colonists in cryosleep onboard the colony ships.

Like the Hiigarans, Nalthoran morale was also at an all-time low. Not only had they been humiliated by the sheer might of a superior fleet, but they had been helpless in the face of their homeworld's destruction.

The Exchange Unit beside her began beeping, signifying an incoming message from the T-MAT. Dosis dried her tears and accepted the connection.

_"Greetings Queen Dosis, we trust that you and your people are well."_

"What is there to talk about," Dosis replied sadly, "We have lost everything that we stood for."

_"Not when you are currently in the care and protection of the Hiigarans. You are not the only ones who have lost ties. Many of our brethren have perished in the infection attacks, suffering fates worse than death. Make no comparison to the misery that we Unbound have faced."_

"Alright, can we get straight to the point here? I'm not in the mood for lengthy conversation…"

_"And you shall have it. We are transmitting to you coordinates of the hyperspace gate we have established. It is beyond the Tanis Ruins and deep in unexplored territory. It would be wise that you send your colonists there in the event of the inevitable."_

"The gate? You want us to run?"

_"As you have seen in the past battle, your technology is not up to the standards of the Hiigarans or the Neo-Beast. If the Hiigarans are incapable of stopping the _Qwaar Jet_ even with the assistance of _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_, then your presence will make little difference in the final outcome."_

Dosis absorbed the news silently. There was no doubt about it – their battle technology was probably a generation behind that of the Hiigarans. The only technological advantage they possessed was of their internal ship systems and superior sensors. Was there really nothing they could do to help?

_"Believe us, Queen Dosis. Taking part in this war will mean needless sacrifice on your civilisation's part. If you will flee now, we are confident that the Hiigarans shall understand."_

Queen Dosis gave the matter some thought, then closed the connection abruptly. The T-MAT were not annoyed for they understood her desire for time.

She sighed and looked at a viewscreen, only to see the Hiigaran shipyard give birth to a totally unique ship.

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, the Great Wastelands:**

Commander Elohim watched as the monolithic battlecruiser-class vessel left the docks of the shipyard. Whatever he had been asked to build was completely unprecedented. It still resembled the original Hiigaran battlecruiser in many ways, but it was what lay inside and the guns it possessed that made the difference.

Kiir was standing behind him, showing his latest creation to Eefrit, Soban and even Karan, who had disconnected for the event.

"Thanks for taking time off to see this," Kiir grinned broadly, "I know it's way off since I was supposed to work with Super Acolytes, but I couldn't resist implementing the technologies as such."

"I am sure it will be just as amazing Kiir," Karan noted, "We have been trying to find a better ship for the super capital class."

"Then you won't be disappointed," Kiir declared, "The _Horizon_ is more than capable of replacing the current battlecruiser series. As soon as they've loaded on the crews, we'll get onboard and we could have an official demonstration."

"Until then, I'd like a brief introduction to what the ship can do," Eefrit spoke, "What is it about the _Horizon_ that makes it different?"

Kiir nodded, then pressed a button on the console beside him. Immediately, the room dimmed and a holographic projector lit up to show the blueprints and chassis of the _Horizon_.

"After analysing the fusion drives onboard the Progenitor ships we've found, I came to the conclusion that our current drive technology is painfully inefficient. As such I managed to make adaptations to the Progenitor drive systems for use onboard the _Horizon_. The new drives will be at least 35 more efficient than our own drives of the same class. Naturally, this will also provide more power, but that is not the primary power source anyway."

Kiir pointed to a spot on the blueprint and it automatically magnified. One glance and Eefrit recognised what it was.

"Those structures… it's very similar to the Quantum Tappers found on the Grand Core."

"Yep, it took a bit of work, but reverse engineering those was really easy compared with the Far Jumper problem," Kiir explained, "It's my first attempt, so it's rather crude. Its power output is nowhere near that of the original tappers, but it will provide at least 215 more power than our current power system technology."

"That is interesting, but from the tone in your voice I gather it's not the star of the show," Karan commented, smiling at what Kiir had already shown them, "I guess you can cut to the chase about the ship."

"You're sharp, Karan. Turns out there's no hiding anything from you," Kiir conceded excitedly as he pushed a few more buttons. Within moments, details on his ultimate creation flashed into view. While Eefrit, Soban and Elohim couldn't recognise anything, Karan gasped after scanning the blueprints.

"People, I call it the Hyperphase Drive," announced Kiir proudly, "It was a pet project that I've been designing for years, but never managed to get funding for it. Not that it would matter if I did, since I could never solve those dimensional equations back then."

"Now that you've confirmed it's a drive, I seem to be getting an impression of something… it's almost as if I've seen part of the design somewhere before…" Karan muttered, studying the design more closely, "It resembles the _Naggarok_'s Inertialess Drive in some way if I'm not mistaken."

"Whoa, you were the top mind on Kharak and you still are now," Kiir boggled, "You're right. I came across the Inertialess Drive research when I was browsing the Somtaaw databanks. While the data was not enough to let me construct a new drive, it did help me with the current drive design once I understood the secret to Far Jumpers."

Kiir moved quickly to the next stage of the show. Now the projection switched to a wireframe view of the dimension of realspace and how hyperspace was being used in this case.

"The problem with current hyperspace technology, even that of the Progenitor Far Jumpers, is of the difficulty with gravity wells. For both Progenitor and galactic race designs, hyperspace modules work by generating the quantum wavefront before the ship and pulling it into hyperspace. Once in hyperspace, gravitic manipulation at the quantum level allows the ship to accelerate to faster-than-light speeds."

"Now the problem with gravity wells is that they affect anything that belongs to the realspace dimension, namely the ship. When we jump through the gravity well, gravity starts to pull on the ship and this increases the energy needed to keep the ship in hyperspace. Naturally, the strain is too great most of the time for current hyperspace technology, and we get pulled back into realspace. Progenitor jump drives solved the problem by diverting higher amounts of energy to their Hyperspace Cores, which was all too easy with the power technology they had."

"The Hyperphase Drive works by pulling hyperspace around the ship, rather than the other way round. Once the field has been set up, it uses the same principle of manipulating quantum gravities to accelerate to faster-than-light while in realspace. While it can't reach the speeds offered by even galactic hyperspace technology, the drive requires much less energy than a hyperspace module and can jump through the strongest of gravity wells with only minor navigational fluctuations."

"I ask out of interest," Soban interjected, "How fast is that new drive really?"

"Standard hyperspace modules operate at speeds from 170 000 to 200 000 c. The Hyperphase Drive is projected to reach a max of 10 000 c. Think a slower FTL drive, but for much less power and the purpose of getting you far enough from a gravity well to engage proper hyperspace."

"What about that new revolution in the way we battle?" the intercom buzzed into life suddenly, marking the arrival of Yuno, "So far everything's been sounding like a dream."

"Hi there Yuno, and yes I'm about to get to that part," Kiir paused to take a breath before moving into the climax, "When operating at minimum power, it is possible to project a sustained hyperspace field around the ship to negate a lot of inertia and promote better acceleration and manoeuvrability. It's an Inertialess Drive without those problems of not being able to manoeuvre in transit - it'll let the _Horizon_ speed like a corvette and steer like a frigate. The best thing is that it takes only 70 percentmore power than standard fusion drive."

Kiir had just finished his speech when Elohim answered a call on his wrist communicator. He nodded and turned to Kiir.

"_Horizon_ is manned and ready." Elohim reported.

"Good then, let's take her for a spin!" Kiir exclaimed, unable to contain himself any longer.


	27. Horizon

School work's been rather heavy of late, so I must apologise for the slow uploading of chapters here. Due to the website omitting key characters from the work, I have been forced to spend time correcting those omissions.

I will continue updating until the story is complete. If you cannot wait, I would suggest you visit the Relicnews forums at http/forums. where I upload new chapters immediately without correction.

Thanks for all the support anyway:)

* * *

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 26: HORIZON**

"_It was and still is a wonder even today when one looks back through time. The discovery of the Third Core catapulted the Kharakians' technology millennia ahead, enabling them to achieve long range spaceflight in a relatively short timeframe."_

"_There have been other theories that suggest an ingenuity among the Hiigaran people that other galactic races lack. After all, had the Third Core been found by a different civilisation, it is generally believed that such a radical leap would never have taken place."_

_Taiidani Historical Archives

* * *

_

**Onboard Experimental Hiigaran Battlecruiser _Horizon_, the Great Wastelands:**

The group walked onto the bridge, and the officers stood smartly to salute the guests. Karan nodded slightly and everyone returned to their tasks. There was so much to be done before they could let the ship move on its own power. Right now, the _Horizon_ was drifting in space, held in place by the shipyard's graviton beams.

"Who's going to be commandeering this test flight?" Eefrit asked, "I'm not sure if anyone in this fleet has the ability to operate all these new technologies."

"Eefrit, don't you think you're asking the obvious?" Yuno sighed, her holographic projection rolling its eyes in disbelief, "There's a reason why Kiir's putting on that neurohelmet right now you know."

Eefrit gave a sheepish look and Yuno's hologram began giggling slightly. Soban and Karan took no notice, their attention completely taken by the various consoles on the bridge. Moments later, Kiir's voice boomed over the intercom system.

"I'm online everyone," Kiir announced, "I guess we can start the testing mission anytime."

Soban walked over to where Kiir was seated. There was a neurohelmet mounted on his head, and his eyes were closed. As Soban approached to get a closer look at the helmet, he was jumped back in fright when Kiir suddenly opened his eyes.

"Gee, I didn't mean to scare you there," Kiir said apologetically, "I made a few modifications to this helmet so I can be online and maintain control of my physical body at the same time."

"You could have at least given a warning or something…" Soban muttered, still recovering from the sudden shock.

"I guess we can go ahead with the test flight now," Kiir began, "Kiir to Elohim, you can release us now."

"Elohim here, disabling shipyard gravitons, you're free to go."

The _Horizon_ shuddered slightly as the _Shipyard Naabal_ released its gravitational hold on the ship. The battlecruiser drifted free as Kiir began manoeuvring the ship away from the shipyard.

"Karan, you might want to take a seat somewhere for the duration of the flight," suggested Kiir, "There's no telling what sort of G-forces we'll be encountering once I bring the fusion drives online."

"Don't worry too much about me," Karan insisted, "I'll be fine. You may engage the fusion drives anytime."

"Alright then. Stand by for main drive testing. Firing main drives in five seconds…"

The seconds ticked by and the _Horizon_ shuddered violently as the fusion drives came online for the first time. Everyone held on for dear life as the gyros struggled to compensate for the stress. An audible sigh of relief echoed through the bridge when everything finally stabilised.

"It took a while, but it seems the gyros have recalibrated for the new drives," Kiir noted, "Things should be more smooth-sailing in future starts."

"I really hope so," Karan replied, "Violent starts such as those are detrimental to ships going into battle, you know."

"It seems that the drives are functioning normally. We have accelerated to maximum speed in seven seconds, and are moving at 140 m/s. In other words, we're just about as fast as a destroyer."

It was a breakthrough that captured the attention of the entire fleet. Both T-MAT and Nalthorans observed the _Horizon_ with great interest as it cruised leisurely through the ship formations. It was certainly moving rather quickly for a battlecruiser-class ship.

Kiir fired off a few thrusters and activated several gyros as the manoeuvring tests began. The battlecruiser performed admirably, swerving with a dexterity which matched even that of the Somtaaw Gospel-class Heavy Dreadnoughts.

Yuno assisted with the test flights, launching several probes from various carriers to form an obstacle course for the _Horizon_. Had it been a standard battlecruiser tackling the formation, the captain would probably have ordered for the ship to be brought down to quarter speed so as to evade the obstacles. However, the _Horizon_ was able to maintain 70 thrust while navigating the probe maze effortlessly.

"By the Gods of Kharak, this ship steers like a fish," Captain Soban complimented, "Those back-engineered Progenitor fusion drives are really something!"

"Well, you haven't seen anything yet," Kiir responded proudly, "I'm about to begin tests on the Hyperphase Drive."

Yuno wasted no time relaying the orders to the fleet. Ships started moving out of the way as the _Horizon_ moved on into open space. While this was done mainly to remove any risk of collision, another underlying reason was to minimise collateral damage should a catastrophic quantum cascade reaction take place.

Even though it operated on a totally different principle, the Hyperphase Drive was ultimately still a hyperspace system of some sort, making it just as vulnerable to problems faced by hyperspace modules. Furthermore, it was common knowledge that prototype test modules usually ended in such destructive reactions.

"Drive ejection systems are standing by, commencing hyperfield generation in five seconds."

Everyone held their breath as the Hyperphase Drive activated for the first time. There was a slight vibration as the field enveloped the battlecruiser, and they were off. The vibrations quickly dissipated as the _Horizon_ continued to accelerate to speeds unheard of for vessels of its size.

A pulsar gunship swooped in for a closer look at the _Horizon_, but the pilot quickly realised how difficult it was to catch up. Eventually, the battlecruiser matched speeds with the gunship, leaving the pilot gasping in awe at the sight.

"Transition to inertialess mode complete, we have attained corvette speeds," Kiir announced, "The Hyperphase Drive is operating within normal parameters."

Soban and Eefrit stared in awe as the other capital ships streaked past the viewscreens at an astounding speed. Karan merely smiled in appreciation of this young scientist's breakthroughs.

The rest of the fleet continued to be amazed by the record-breaking _Horizon_ test flight. Even the T-MAT had to admit that the Hiigarans had probably equalled and even surpassed Unbound technology in various areas.

The battlecruiser now streaked away from the fleet into the vast empty void before it. Kiir turned the ship and aimed it at their destination: the medium-sized star Eternia-93. It was a good half light year's distance away and definitely unreachable without hyperspace jumping.

"I presume we are entering the climax of today's test?" Karan asked, her eyes twinkling with an excitement not seen since the discovery of the _Khar Toba_ on Kharak.

"You guessed it, I'm going to test the faster-than-light capability of the Hyperphase Drive," Kiir answered, "Everyone hang on tight!"

The _Horizon_ leapt forward as it began accelerating further, leaving the following gunship far behind.

"Hyperphase Drive power levels increasing, transition to hyperspeed in ten seconds," Kiir muttered as he held his breath. This was it, the final test that would decide whether _Horizon_ would become the first ship in a new line of battlecruisers for the Hiigaran Navy.

The energy levels continued to rise as the ship moved faster and faster. Now it was cruising with the speed of a bomber, and yet it continued to gain speed steadily without any fall in acceleration.

A loud beep from the computers signalled that the minimum energy level had been reached. At the same time, the stars on the viewscreens pulled and stretched into thin lines as the _Horizon_ jumped beyond light speed.

The bridge was gripped by a deathly silence as Kiir checked the sensors to see if they had made it.

"… Hyperphase Drive operating at 60 power, ship is travelling at 6000 c… we made it!" Kiir exclaimed in pure exhilaration. Almost immediately, everyone stood up and applauded, celebrating this new breakthrough in Hiigaran sciences. Even Karan took part in the standing ovation.

Feelings of euphoria swept through him, and Kiir struggled not to let his emotions show as he reported the details of their jump.

"Transition to hyperspeed successful, _Horizon_ is travelling at 6000 times the speed of light. Estimated time to arrival at Eternia-93: 45 minutes," Kiir reported.

It was Kiir's proudest moment.

* * *

**Onboard Tobari flagship _Ascension_, the Southern Fringe:**

"In the beginning, our ancestors were brutally slaughtered at the hands of the Taiidani. Our homeworld burned but the other galactic powers merely watched, leaving our people to fend for ourselves."

"We were driven all the way to the great Hyperspace Wall of the Southern Fringe, declared impassable by even the Great Bentusi, and it was then that we received Salvation."

"And now, in the name of the Emerald Star, whose light revealed to our ancestors the gateway into this promised land, we will go forth and destroy the descendents of the Taiidani, sparing no one. We will make the races of the Galaxy pay for their cruel abandonment. For our homeworld, for Tobari!"

The fleet frequencies erupted in loud cheering as the General ended his fiery speech. The general took his leave and left the communications room, greeting an aide who was waiting outside.

"That was a marvellous speech you made there, General Tora," the aide commented, "I believe the fleet will be more than happy to succeed in our quest."

"That speech was long overdue, given that we shall be jumping through the Emerald Path in the next hour," Tora replied, "What worries me, however, is the so-called Hiigarans. The fact that they possess the power of the Progenitors means that they are a force to be reckoned with."

"You are worried that they may cause our quest to fail?"

"In the light of their superior technology, it is very possible. But the fact is that they have not managed to apply those Progenitor technologies to every ship in their fleet. As such, it is imperative that we strike early and finish them before they become a threat."

"It should be of little problem," the aide assured, "The fact that two of our twelve fleets were able to cause them much difficulty means that a united strike will send them reeling in fear."

"Indeed. We must not let go of such an opportunity."

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"Admiral, we have lost a quarter of the fleet to the Beast infection," came the frantic warnings of the sensors officer, "We still have fighter superiority, but things are looking bad in the capital ship class!"

"Order all capital ships to disengage the Beast frigates and focus fire on the Keepers," Ecron commanded calmly, "If they are using energy shielding to deflect our blasts, then start scanning those shields for frequencies we can use. No matter how advanced they are, those shields are useless once we identify their shield frequencies."

The flagship shook as an infection beam raked across the hull. Moments later, drive plasma erupted from the infected slash and sterilised the area.

"Sir, we have lost power to the strike craft bays, we will be unable to repair fighters coming in to dock," reported another officer.

"Transmit orders to all fighters to dock at alternative carriers. Helm, pull us back. The flagship cannot withstand a direct encounter with those Keepers! Get whatever frigates we have left to cover our retreat."

The order went out and the Imperial Fleet responded. Battle frigates moved forward to present a strong front against the Keepers while the _Merciless_ manoeuvred away from the main battle slowly. However, the Keepers ignored the frigates and rammed through the wall with brute force. They were going straight for the flagship in a bid to cripple the Imperial Fleet's command structure.

Beam after beam of the crimson plague ripped into the flagship, each slash soliciting a desperate eruption of drive plasma from within. The _Merciless_' hull was now ruptured in many places, leaking drive plasma from various structural breaches. It was evident that they would not last for long.

Just when Ecron believed the battle to be lost, the Keepers' shields seemed to lose their effectiveness. Ion beams and energy blasts now penetrated the shields and wreaked havoc upon the Keepers' hulls.

"Admiral, the fleet has managed to get a lock on the Keeper shield frequencies. All weapons have been recalibrated for maximum effect on the enemy."

"Thank goodness for that," Ecron sighed in relief, "Is there any word from the outpost?"

"We've just re-established communications, and they say things are looking bad. They are being overwhelmed on all fronts by a Beast fleet that outnumbers them three to one."

"The defence forces at _Gamma VII_ equal that of a fully equipped carrier fleet, which means that they are probably up against a mothership strike force. Have they picked up any large mothership-class vessels?"

"As of now, not yet. However, the resident commander says he will not be able to hold the line. Once that inhibitor goes down, the Beast fleet will have a clear path straight to New Taiidan!"

"Then we'll have to hope that the capital system's inhibitors can hold the line while we finish these off and get back there," Ecron muttered as his fleet began mopping up the last of the Keepers, "In the meantime, I'd think it wise for us to send an all-frequency distress call for help."

"Sir, you know that the Council will never approve of such an action," protested the communications officer, "What is the problem of the Imperials will be solved by the Imperials and no one else…"

"I don't give a damn what the Council says!" Ecron yelled, "The thing is that we're in a crisis right now, and Imperial pride will have to take second place to a Beast invasion! Send that distress call or I'll do it myself."

"… Yes sir."

Admiral Ecron looked away as his communications officer sent the distress call. However, he also secretly sent a message back to New Taiidan about the sudden disobedience of the highest-ranking officer in the Imperial forces.

* * *

**Onboard Imperial inhibitor outpost _Gamma VII_, Northern Outer Rim:**

The commander watched in dismay as his forces were slowly but steadily ripped apart by the influx of Beast ships. What was not torn to pieces was immediately subverted by the multitude of infection beams firing from the escorting Keepers.

As the battle approached the outpost, the space station's defence guns came online. Corvette-sized metal slugs lashed out at the Beast fleet, ripping frigates apart and crippling larger vessels. However, the mass drivers merely bounced harmlessly off the vermillion shields of the Keepers.

It was then that the sensors began warbling loudly. To the horror of the commander, a large mothership-class vessel was emerging from hyperspace. As its yellow hyperspace window closed behind it, the new intruder opened fire in a brilliant display of ionic energy.

The ion beams rained down upon the station, tearing through bulkheads and detaching entire sections. Crews died as their quarters vented to space, while others perished in the high energy ionic blasts.

The commander held onto a handgrip for support, the lights around him failing. A large ion beam aimed directly for the bridge was the last thing he saw.

* * *

**Onboard the _Stargazer_, the Great Wastelands:**

Queen Dosis had watched the _Horizon_ vanish into hyperspeed, awe-struck by the technological breakthrough of the Hiigarans. It also reminded her of the vast gap between her own race's capabilities and the Hiigarans'.

"_Taking part in this war will mean needless sacrifice on your civilisation's part._"

The T-MAT's words echoed continually through her mind and thoughts. When the _Qwaar Jet_ had jumped into Nalthoran orbit, their fleet had gone in selflessly to assist the Hiigarans and the T-MAT in battle. Surely they were of help to the Hiigarans, not a liability.

Dosis then remembered the battle debrief by her generals and commanders. Among the three fleets, Nalthoran forces had taken the hardest beating, losing nearly half of the frigate squadrons and a third of the destroyer and cruiser fleets. However, T-MAT and Hiigaran losses had been minimal at best relative to their numbers.

Further debriefing sessions had revealed that T-MAT and Hiigaran armors were far more resilient than Nalthoran protection. While Nalthoran spacecraft continued to use reinforced titanium alloys, the Hiigarans were already using special space titanium armors that contained tough exotic elements and dense neutrons.

Of course, Nalthoran scientists had already discovered the secret of infusing neutrons into armor to increase durability, but they were halted by the prohibitively high costs of the infusion process. Estimates had placed economical production of neutron-based armors several decades into the future.

Then there were the weapons. Nalthoran ion frigates were still using second-generation advanced ion cannons introduced during the Beast wars. While they still packed a punch, they lacked the efficiency and firepower per time capabilities of the newer Hiigaran third-generation ion cannons. Furthermore, Nalthoran vessels were still using capital ship mass drivers where the Hiigarans were using energy pulse weapons.

The royal room doors slid open silently as a general walked in. He saluted smartly as Dosis prepared to brief him.

"I have been informed by the T-MAT of our current tactical situation, and in my opinion, it doesn't look good. They have given us coordinates to the hyperspace gate they built, and suggest that we take every last ship we have and flee."

"My Queen, I suppose the problem is that we are in the Hiigarans' debt," the general replied, "Having saved our race from complete destruction, it would be very ungrateful to flee when they need our firepower."

"Yes indeed," Dosis sighed, "On one hand, I feel compelled to repay our debt by helping the Hiigarans. On the other hand, our fleet is ill-equipped to handle the Neo-Beast."

"Perhaps it might be possible for us to acquire technology from the Hiigarans or the T-MAT?" enquired the general.

"No, it would take too long for us to upgrade our fleet with the new devices they can offer. As things stand now, the next battle with the Neo-Beast could be anytime."

"Then there is only one thing to do. Since it would be folly to follow the Hiigarans into battle with such primitive technology, we would have no choice but to take the T-MAT's advice."

"So you agree with the idea?" Dosis responded, "We flee and leave the Hiigarans and T-MAT to save this Galaxy?"

"The T-MAT are probably the last of the Unbound with the demise of the Bentusi. Given their existence as a sentient race even before our own races' rise to power, I am confident that their technology will make them better allies of the Hiigarans. Furthermore, both Hiigaran and T-MAT fleets are stronger than us in many ways. The absence of our firepower would make little difference."

Queen Dosis sighed and glanced at the viewscreen. She saw the mighty T-MAT mothership, bristling with ion weapons, as well as the legendary vessels _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_. Those three ships alone were probably more of a match for the Neo-Beast fleet than their entire fleet.

She considered the matter solemnly, staring at the viewscreen for what seemed an eternity.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, the Great Wastelands:**

Yuno's routine of system maintenance and inspection was interrupted when sensors started picking up quantum wave effects. Quickly investigating the sudden phenomenon, Yuno was alarmed to see the Nalthoran ships enter hyperspace one by one. She wasted no time opening a channel with the _Stargazer_.

"Attention Nalthoran mothership _Stargazer_, why are you jumping to hyperspace? There isn't a threat of any sort right now!"

The Nalthorans simply ignored her as the colony ships now began jumping into hyperspace. Yuno growled and powered up the hyperspace inhibitors in an attempt to stall the Nalthoran fleet. To her shock, the inhibitor fields were rendered useless as the T-MAT began generating counter fields to nullify them.

"Yuno to T-MAT fleet, what is the meaning of this? Yuno demanded, Why are you letting the Nalthorans flee? You know that we cannot win against the Neo-Beast if we do not join forces!"

_"It is regrettable, but a must for the sake of the Nalthorans. You have seen how their ships struggled to protect their home planet, only to fail and take heavy losses in the end. The Nalthorans' technology is far behind that of yours, Hiigarans. To force them to fight against a clearly superior enemy is unfair to them."_

"But… but if it's primitive technology you're talking about, we can help them overcome that easily!" Yuno argued, "All we have to do is transmit design specs for newer weapons, better armor…"

_"But it would take far too much time, as Queen Dosis herself has realised. If they are to maintain their existence as a sentient species, then the Nalthorans will have to distance themselves from the battle."_

Yuno stared helplessly as ship after ship vanished into hyperspace. The _Stargazer_ was the last to go, and as it did, Queen Dosis herself beamed a message to the _Legacy_.

"Yuno, I thank you and your people for the help rendered at Nalthora. However, my hands are tied in this war. I am sorry."

The jump window closed and the Nalthoran fleet was gone.

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, hyperspeed transit:**

"… Disengaging hyperspeed in five, four, three, two, one…"

The _Horizon_ vibrated slightly as the stars on the viewscreens reverted to normal and Eternia-93 loomed ahead of them.

"Hyperphase Drive disengaged, all systems nominal. We are currently five light minutes from Eternia-93." Kiir reported.

The bridge filled with applause again as everyone congratulated Kiir on the success of the first hyperspeed jump. Karan went forth to shake Kiir warmly by the hand.

"Congratulations Kiir on a job well done," Karan beamed, "I am sure that this is a sign of greater things yet to come."

"Thank you very much, Karan," Kiir replied, removing his neurohelmet so he could thank Karan better, "I couldn't have done this without you as a role model during all these years."

As Kiir and Karan burst into conversation, Eefrit and Soban continued to gaze at the brilliant star before them.

"Soban, do you remember our conversation back in Hiigaran orbit?" Eefrit asked, turning to face his long-time friend.

"You mean the one about our race being cursed and all?"

"Well, I think that it doesn't really matter what misfortune we've been through as Hiigarans," Eefrit reflected, "After seeing what Kiir was able to do, I'm beginning to believe that this nightmare, not matter how terrible, will have an end."

"I'm encouraged as well," Soban replied, "We just have to make sure that the Neo-Beast threat is dealt with once and for all."

The two friends smiled at each other and gazed back at the star, energised by the new hope Kiir had given them. Suddenly, the communications channels burst into life.

"This is the Imperial flagship _Merciless_ calling any ships in range. Imperial territory is under massive attack by Beast forces. They are attempting to break through and subvert everything before them. We cannot stop them from reaching New Taiidan. We will be grateful for any assistance!"

Kiir looked at Karan expectantly, awaiting her response to this abrupt and surprising distress call. She was about to give an order when the channels erupted in activity again.

"Karan Sjet, are you there?"

"I'm here Yuno, speak away."

"The Nalthorans have just fled with assistance from the T-MAT. The T-MAT's reasons are that their technology is inadequate to handle the Neo-Beast, and that sending them into battle will result in their destruction. I need you to talk with the T-MAT and make them understand that we need all the help we can get to win this war!"

"The Nalthorans fled?"

"Yes, but if you give the order we can jump the fleet in pursuit. We have a lock on their quantum signatures and can extrapolate their target destination without trouble."

"You know, Yuno, the T-MAT are right about this."

"Pardon?"

"We may have saved the Nalthorans, but forcing them to fight alongside our fleet in repayment is not fair for them. I understand that Queen Dosis probably jumped out in an act of self-preservation."

"But we can't just let them go like this!"

"Yuno, calm down, we have another pressing matter right now. We just received a long range distress call from the Imperials, and it seems that they are the Neo-Beast's next target. I'll need you to jump the fleet straight to New Taiidan as soon as you are ready. We'll meet up with you later."

"New Taiidan? You understand we're still enemies even though we have intentions of allying with them…"

"I doubt they'll take action against us with the _Qwaar Jet_ up their noses. Just try to jump as soon as possible, we'll head there ourselves first."

"Roger that, just stay safe."

"I am perfectly confident about Kiir's abilities on that, Yuno." Karan reassured.

"Right then, Yuno out."

Karan closed the channel and looked at Kiir.

"Just as well, Karan, I was about to test the prototype Far Jumper," Kiir grinned.

"Then let's test it right now."

"No problem. All hands, stand by for hyperspace test!"

Kiir opened the circuits and sent pure energy flooding into the prototype Hyperspace Core. It was smaller than the original Far Jumper so that it would fit onboard a battlecruiser chassis, but not compromise on its ability to far jump.

The shimmering blue window of hyperspace opened before the _Horizon_, engulfing the ship in a matter of moments and sending the battlecruiser straight for New Taiidan.

As Karan noted with satisfaction the fact that they were moving along at 10 million times the speed of light, about as fast as the original Core, Kiir tightened his fist in anger.

"Those Neo-Beast scum… they will pay dearly for their crimes…" he muttered under his breath.


	28. Second Contact

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 28: SECOND CONTACT

* * *

**

"_The Door of Hara opened, and fury lashed forth. The heavens faltered and the guardians swayed."_

"_Never had the Ancients faced such a terror."_

_Common words appearing repeatedly in Progenitor research.

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Northern Outer Rim:**

The situation had changed instantly. The Imperial Fleets suddenly changed their minds about the T-MAT and now manoeuvred in for battle. Yuno had persisted in maintaining a stance of peace, but was forced to acknowledge their hostilities when they began firing upon the T-MAT.

_"They are fools to attack the Unbound. The Imperials will be regrettably destroyed."_

"T-MAT fleet, return fire but try to disable the Imperials rather than destroy them. We can't ally ourselves with a debris field."

_"We will use whatever non-lethal means possible."_

"Thank you very much. Yuno to fleet, return fire on the Imperials. Target their weapons and drives only, repeat target their weapons and drives only. We need the Imperial fleets intact."

Moments after the orders went out, the _Legacy_ came under fire by the Imperial interceptors. Gauss projectiles penetrated the outer armour without difficulty, but did little real damage due to the Mothership's extensive multi-layered protection.

The attacks ceased as soon as the Hiigaran strike craft came into the picture. The heavy interceptors broke off their strafing rounds to engage the Acolyte IIs. Meanwhile, modified Raider missile corvettes swooped in to handle the Hiigaran gunships.

The strike craft battle had barely begun when the Imperial battle frigates came within range. They wasted no time in releasing their versatile spectrum of firepower on the enemy before them. Hiigaran commanders were duly surprised to see the frigates fire off both ion beams and mass drivers simultaneously. They had not expected the Taiidani to combine ion cannons and mass driver turrets on a single frigate chassis.

Disadvantaged in the frigate front, Hiigaran captains were forced to work together to combat the versatile Imperial vessels. Ion frigates paired up immediately with torpedo frigates so as to equal the enemy's firepower, while the flak frigates continued to cover their flanks from the ever-hungry Taiidani bombers.

Circumstances were more equal in the super capital class. Destroyers, heavy dreadnoughts and battlecruisers fought off Imperial equivalents. Every now and then, the Imperials would gain a firepower advantage by firing off an energy burst salvo. However, the Hiigarans would gain the lost ground immediately by applying repulsors, depriving Taiidani vessels of advantageous positioning.

While the outcome of the Taiidani-Hiigaran battle was uncertain, there was no contest for the T-MAT. Taiidani super capital vessels were easily outmanoeuvred by the megaships, which evaded shots by dancing around the slower battlecruisers. Rapid-fire ion cannons ripped into Imperial hulls while Imperial shots struggled to hit their highly mobile T-MAT targets.

As the battle went on, the Hiigaran fleet continued taking losses while the Imperials took none. However, increasing numbers of the Taiidani ships drifted without power in space as their drives and weapons were scuttled by precision shots. It was a gamble that Yuno had taken, and it seemed that she was winning the bet.

_"Hiigaran fleet, you are taking considerable losses. It may not be wise for you to continue your current strategy."_

"Don't worry about us, we can take this onslaught for a little while longer," Yuno reassured, "We're just a few minutes away from disabling their entire fleet."

Yuno glanced at the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_, which were both drifting in space. She wished that they could use their abilities, but with Kiir and gang far away, they would have to make do without divine assistance.

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, Sealed Gate of Hara:**

"All hands prepare for battle with Neo-Beast fleet," Kiir announced as the bridge was bathed in a flashing red, "Karan, you might want to hold onto something for this one."

"If you ask me, we should get out of here on the double," Eefrit advised, "I have no doubt that _Horizon_ is an excellent ship, but we're up against an entire fleet here, and they have the _Qwaar Jet _with them."

"Eefrit, I understand your concern for my safety, but the fact is that we cannot allow the Neo-Beast to claim this gate," Karan replied, "This gate needs to be investigated thoroughly, for it most likely has a link of some sort to the civilisation the Progenitors were fighting against here."

"Well then, Kiir, does the _Horizon_ have anything that'll give it a chance in this fight?" Eefrit asked, hoping for some good news.

"I took the trouble to install modified Quantum Distortion Algorithms on this ship," Kiir explained, "They use the Far Jumper, so maintaining a stable field shouldn't be a problem. It just means we can't hyperspace from here, which isn't possible anyway with those Keeper inhibitors on."

The Neo-Beast fighters glided in, weapons blazing furiously. Instantly, the quantum distortion field sprang up and enveloped the battlecruiser. Bullets and plasma bolts swerved away along the curvature of the field as they interacted with the warped space time around the ship.

When the _Horizon_'s weapons came online, everyone was surprised to see rapid-fire ion beams scorching away from the supposed pulsar defence turrets.

"Rapid-fire ion turrets?" Soban asked, cocking one eye approvingly at Kiir.

"Project Light Sword. I mean, why put those things on fighters when we can have more of those cannons on a battlecruiser chassis?" the scientist replied, grinning widely.

The new turrets tracked the fighters effortlessly, bringing them down with single shots. Neo-Beast frigates moved in to pump their weapons into the _Horizon_'s distortion field, and were greeted by bolts of deadly energy. Kiir had apparently replaced the Arbiter cannons with the updated pulse cannons that the Somtaaw command ships sported.

"Excellently designed, if I might add," Karan commented, "But we are still severely outmatched, Kiir. I hope you understand that."

"No problem, I'm about to test the new weapons I put on the ship. Brace yourselves!"

Where the heavy ion turrets used to be, there were now slightly larger cannon turrets that resembled some kind of beam weapon. The top turret turned to target an incoming Neo-Beast Imperial heavy destroyer, then began glowing a brilliant blue as it charged up to fire. Several seconds later, an oscillating blue ray of light leapt forth and pummelled the destroyer, shattering it completely as the vibrations overwhelmed its structural integrity.

"I call them Distortion Cannons. It's a quantum-based weapon I designed by expanding upon the quantum algorithms I've refined thus far. It works by sending a focused quantum distortion into the target, and blowing it apart by sheer stress. Only problem is that its recycle time is slightly longer than the original heavy ion turrets."

Karan was about to compliment Kiir on all his breakthroughs when the _Horizon_ shuddered violently. A few consoles blew apart, sending sparks flying across the bridge. Glancing at the flickering viewscreens, Karan saw that the _Qwaar Jet_ had opened fire with its ion warp turrets. Now a blizzard of wavy ion beams lashed away at the battlecruiser's protective distortion field.

"We've got some overload damage to ship circuitry, otherwise we're fine," Kiir reassured, "Quantum distortion field is holding at 85."

Kiir wasted no time retaliating against the larger Progenitor ship. The full force of the _Horizon_'s weaponry blasted away at the _Qwaar Jet_, which absorbed the firepower with its energy shields. However, the distortion beams sent ripples of disruption through the vermillion energy shields, which eventually ripped apart and allowed the rest of _Horizon_'s conventional fire to get through.

"That'll teach them to blow up planets," Kiir muttered, proceeding to target every wounded area he could see now that the _Qwaar Jet_ had lost its protective shielding. Ion beams and energy bolts slammed into the various wounds on the _Qwaar Jet_'s hull, causing the ship to seemingly reel in agony.

Kiir fired the distortion cannons again as soon as they had recharged, and the oscillating blue beams struck the _Qwaar Jet_'s unhealed damage. The vibrations spread through the hull and shattered the superstructure within, blowing apart organic growths and Progenitor construction alike. Those wounded areas had not completely recovered from the _Sajuuk_ and _Gatekeeper_'s Phased Cannon assaults, making them exceptionally vulnerable to the attacks.

_Qwaar Jet_ was not defeated yet – it too fought back by focusing all the might of its ionic weapons onto a single point on the _Horizon_'s distortion field. The effect was devastating – half a dozen ion beams got through the field and scorched across the _Horizon_'s outer hull, leaving ugly gashes in its armour.

As smoke billowed into the bridge and warning sirens blared, Kiir decided they had had enough.

"Alright people, we're getting the hell outta here. Stand by for hyperspeed jump!"

The smouldering _Horizon_ swerved away from the looming _Qwaar Jet_ and blinked beyond lightspeed.

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, Sealed Gate of Hara:**

Kaark groaned as he felt the pain of the ship. The wounds given to it by the _Sajuuk_ and _Gatekeeper_ had yet to heal completely, and now they were reopened and festered badly by the short skirmish. He focused his mental strength on blocking the pain, opening his eyes as the agony dissipated.

The battlecruiser had proven to be much more of a fight than he had expected. It was disturbing to see a Hiigaran vessel wield nearly as much power as the Ancients, even though its technology was far from perfect. He was astounded by the power of the new never-before-seen quantum weapons the ship had sported.

Then there was how the ship had gotten away before he could deal the finishing blow. Checking the Keepers in the fleet, Kaark noted that the inhibitors were still up at maximum power. The battlecruiser had escaped using some new form of faster-than-light travel.

Most importantly, he sensed two mighty presences on the Hiigaran ship, both of whom he had encountered before. One was Karan Sjet, and the other was the one who had foiled his assassination attempt.

Karan was the same, but the other Hiigaran seemed to have become much stronger. In fact, he appeared to be emanating some kind of psychic aurora.

The new developments did not bode well for his invasion plan, but there was also the massive gate before him. Its sheer size was seductive – it could have accommodated three _Qwaar Jet_s placed end-to-end without difficulty.

A single thought, and the Neo-Beast fleet fired a multitude of infection beams into the gate. The infection nanites burrowed deep into the circuits and systems of the ancient gate, repairing system shorts and healing battle damage. Barely a few minutes had passed before repairs to the gate system itself were completed.

"Perhaps this will provide a quicker route to Balcora than short jumping there…" Kaark thought as he sent the command to the gate.

The Gate of Hara, now under Neo-Beast control, responded and began to turn. Eight power generators lit up and began channelling immense amounts of quantum energy into the turning gate, which began to glow a bright aquamarine.

The Neo-Beast fleet, dwarfed by the gate's sheer size, withdrew to a good distance in preparation for the final breakthrough.

And then the space in the centre of the gate shimmered and bent, then burst into a dazzling hyperspace portal that shone with all the colours in the visible spectrum. A shockwave reverberated slightly through the Neo-Beast fleet as the gateway opened, beckoning to all which wished to come forth.

Kaark's wonder turned to shock as the portal wobbled and collapsed rapidly, disappearing from view as quickly as it had appeared. Another shockwave vibrated through the Neo-Beast fleet as the space time continuum returned to normality, the gate slowing down with each passing second. Generator after generator shut down until the Gate of Hara was silent once again.

The nanites rushed to repair the damage, only to find that the gate had overloaded and damaged itself beyond any form of repair. As the damage reports filtered into Kaark's mind, he sighed and looked away from the dead gate.

The Neo-Beast fleet jumped into hyperspace.

* * *

**Location unknown:**

'_Quantum waveform detected, locking on.'_

'_Target lock confirmed, extrapolating coordinate data.'_

'_Extrapolation completed, source of waveform confirmed.'_

'_Counterchecking historical data… complete.'_

'_Resuming primary objectives – annihilation of invaders.'_

'_Commencing recon program.'

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"Look at us, we're being disabled slowly but steadily," Admiral Ecron commented to his captors, "You see that we have no choice but to ally ourselves with the Hiigarans and T-MAT."

"Silence, traitor, the Council will do to you what we are doing to the Hiigarans soon enough," an officer scoffed haughtily.

"Tell that to the T-MAT. Unless I'm very much mistaken, the _Merciless_' fleet cover is nearly gone, and we are locked in by an inhibitor field," Ecron coolly replied.

The officer checked the sensors and viewscreens, then gulped in dismay when he realised that Ecron was right. Their defenders were faltering on all fronts, their weapons and engines ruined by the Hiigarans' attacks. In fact, a wave of T-MAT megaships was advancing on the flagship with little resistance.

He hesitated for a while, wondering if the Council could possibly be wrong. The officer looked at the battle data again, then back at Ecron, who was smiling smugly at him.

"You win this time, Admiral, but the Council will get you next time," the officer swore as he signalled for Ecron to be released. The cuffs were unlocked and Ecron stood up, flexing his limbs. Ignoring the traitorous officer completely, he strode forward to the communications console.

"Ecron to fleet, stand down immediately. This battle is decided – we have lost."

"Admiral Ecron, it's good to have you back," came Yuno's voice, "I trust the politics have been taken care of?"

"Yes, and I apologise for the interruption to our discussions. I am ordering all ships to stand down now…"

"… This fleet will not stand down until the infidels are destroyed, traitor," the Council commander retorted, "Ecron, you are no longer an Admiral. You have no more power over the Imperial fleets."

"If I have no more power, then so be it," Ecron replied calmly, "But it is still the fleet's choice when it comes to leadership."

Ecron paused as he watched the response. Sure enough, the remaining Imperial ships halted their attacks and surrendered plainly to the Hiigarans and T-MAT. The Council commander was incensed.

"Filthy Ecron, the Council will have your head for this!"

The transmission ended abruptly and a battlecruiser swerved towards the _Merciless_. It began firing upon the flagship while maintaining a collision course. Ecron was unworried despite the heavy damage being dealt to the flagship, for the bulk of the T-MAT fleet swooped in and sliced the battlecruiser to pieces in a matter of seconds.

"T-MAT fleet, I thank you for your assistance."

_"As do we, for your clear sight on this matter."_

"Good, then it seems we can start discussions proper now?" Yuno began in a hopeful voice.

"Why of course. The sooner we begin, the sooner we can be prepared for a joint strike against the Neo-Beast," Ecron responded.

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, hyperspeed transit:**

"We'll be out of range of their inhibitors in about five minutes' time," Kirr announced, "Then we'll be far jumping straight back to home fleet."

"It was a pity the _Qwaar Jet_ was such a dastardly fighting machine. Even then, this ship of yours put up a terrific fight, I must say," Captain Soban complimented, "In fact, not even my _Gatekeeper _could have done the same."

"Thanks a lot, Soban," Kiir smiled before turning to Karan, who was lost in thought staring at the stars streak across the main viewscreen, "Karan, is there anything wrong?"

"I'm not sure. A few minutes ago, I felt this hyperspatial reverberation."

"Hyperspatial reverberation?" Kiir gawked, "You can sense hyperspatial anomalies?"

"I guess it was the exposure to the Cores and all that let me sense those things," Karan explained, "And that certain reverberation was almost like a gate opening. Did you sensors pick up anything?"

"Sorry, but that last attack knocked out the long range sensors," Kiir apologised, "So I'm blinder than you are."

"Well, I would guess that the Neo-Beast has taken over the gate and opened it. Naturally I'm worried because the Progenitors must have sealed it for a reason."

"You're thinking about that battlefield again, aren't you? But it's been thousands of years, I mean, they could be extinct like the Progenitors are right now."

"Kiir, I hope you're right. I really hope you are."

And Karan returned her attention to the stars streaking past them.

* * *

**Northern Galactic Outskirts:**

The fabric of space time bent and folded, distorting the light coming from nearby stars. Then it all crumpled into a tiny singularity, which later expanded into a blindingly-bright aperture through the dimensions themselves.

A large metallic sphere hurtled out of the portal, depositing itself into realspace.

As the portal closed behind it, the sphere considered the implications of the end of its long but quick journey.

'_Destination achieved.'_


	29. Confluence

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 29: CONFLUENCE

* * *

**

"_We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."_

_Source unknown

* * *

_

**Northern Fringe:**

The tunnel ripped through time and space like a needle through cloth. As it did so, the fabric of space time bent and rippled, crumpling beyond repair in several regions.

The tunnel continued on, passing planets like a gale billowing through paper. The affected worlds were unceremoniously pulled out of orbit, sent into collision courses that would converge decades in the future.

And then the tunnel ended, throwing the sphere into normal space. This extremely efficient method of travel was not without consequence – it adversely affected areas of space the ship passed through.

But the Mythra care little for such consequences.

'_Timespace Drive disengaged, penetration into galaxy achieved.'_

'_Acquiring targets of opportunity.'_

The expedition had begun.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Northern Outer Rim:**

The doors to the Debrief Room slid open, and Admiral Ecron strode in with his contingent of security forces. Hiigaran security officers cocked their weapons in response, putting them down only when Yuno's hologram signalled to them to do so. Smiling, she beckoned to Ecron to take a seat. The admiral took up the offer and made himself comfortable.

"I trust the shuttle journey went well, Admiral?" Yuno began.

"The transit was smooth enough, I thank you for your concern," replied Ecron, "Now we should get to the point about this alliance."

"Very well then. With regards to the Neo-Beast, we know very little. Its origins are uncertain, but one theory is that the virus stemmed from the controlled strain the Progenitors were using as a weapon."

The room dimmed as Yuno brought up an informative hologram displaying the Hiigaran inhibitor station at Coruc-Tel. Ecron watched with interest as the Keeper entered realspace, then set off the infection that had completely erased the original Beast virus inhabiting the station.

"If we go by that theory, then that would be our first encounter with the virus. It would then appear that the Neo-Beast variant is somewhat like the final product of a Progenitor project to subdue their enemies."

"What about the Beast?"

"The Beast was an experimental strain and one of their early designs. Evidently, it was merely one of many viral variants the Progenitors designed before this final product."

"So the Progenitors were under the influence of the Neo-Beast then?"

"Not really, for during our first encounter the virus was used more like a weapon. In fact, the Progenitors appeared fully aware of their actions and appeared to be able to wield the virus without trouble. Sometime later, or so the theory goes, the virus became sentient and…"

"… The Progenitors lost control," finished Ecron, "And we are left with an enemy that is ravaging the Galaxy in ways that make the Beast pale in comparison."

"That is not all," Yuno reminded, "The Neo-Beast also have their hands on one of the Three Gods."

"Three Gods?" Ecron enquired, puzzled by Yuno's words.

"I guess I must elaborate. It turned out that _Sajuuk_ was not the only God, but there were two others – _Koshiir Ra_ and _Qwaar Jet_."

"_Koshiir Ra_, God of Protection, and _Qwaar Jet_, God of Pain and Enslavement… please don't tell me that…"

"I'm afraid the Neo-Beast has the weapon God – they have full control of the _Qwaar Jet_ and it seems that it alone is more than a match for the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ combined."

Admiral Ecron fell silent at the revelation, as did the officers in his security entourage. That the Hiigarans possessed two _Sajuuk_-class warships and still were no match for the Neo-Beast told a lot about the _Qwaar Jet_'s power. The pieces of the puzzle surrounding Hiigara's destruction began falling into place.

"… Then what chance do we stand as a combined force against the might of… a God?" Ecro asked.

"To be frank, we're not sure either. We're not even sure if this is a war we CAN win…" Yuno trailed off as she recalled the fall of Nalthora. It had taken the combined might of two Gods and three fleets to hold off the Neo-Beast long enough to evacuate a measly number of Nalthorans.

Yuno suddenly perked up as sensors began loading information into her mind.

"Admiral Ecron, if you'll excuse me, we have a hyperspace signature incoming…"

The viewscreens flickered and focused on the area where the quantum wave effect was building. Seconds later, a brilliant blue window of quantum energy opened and slid back to reveal the smouldering body of the _Horizon_. Yuno was horrified by the damage on the battlecruiser.

"Yuno to all ships, assist the _Horizon_ immediately!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"Boy it feels good to be back!" Kiir exclaimed as he stepped from the airlock. The _Horizon_ had been towed to dock at the shipyard for emergency repairs. Engineers had gawked at the damage, which would have crippled any standard battlecruiser, but the _Horizon_ had taken it all in its stride, delivering its passengers safely.

Karan was the last to come onboard the shipyard. Almost immediately, medics rushed over to give her a medical check-up on the spot. Karan was visibly annoyed.

"I'm fine, really I am," she insisted, "Just look at Eefrit and Soban, they're all in one piece!"

"My lady, I am putting all of you under observation at the Infirmary in my capacity as Fleet Doctor," the doctor replied firmly, "One cannot shrug off the effects of such a fierce battle that easily."

"He's right you know," Eefrit acknowledged, "A little observation wouldn't hurt anyway."

"You understand we're in the middle of a war here?" Karan chided, "This is no time for us to be put under observation!"

"Well, I'm sure Yuno's got everything covered," Eefrit replied, "You should just sit back and give the doctor what he wants. Anyway, Navy Code gives the doctor the final say, even if you are the Sajuuk-Khar."

"I guess there's no arguing then," Karan sighed, "We're yours for 24 hours, and no more than that. Understood, doctor?"

"That will do nicely," the doctor replied coolly.

* * *

**Onboard the _Ascension_, the Great Wastelands:**

General Tora watched as his forces made short work of the Raider fleet before them. The Turanic Raiders stood no chance against the invisible enemy and were slowly being shredded by the mass drivers and gravity weapons.

Occasionally, the mothership-class vessel would shudder slightly as ion array frigates let loose their beams, but the fleet would quickly respond by dealing with the ships that even dared to open fire on the flagship.

It was a pity that the flagship's cloaking fields were not as efficient as those sported by the assault vessels – the sheer size of the vessel meant that the cloaking fields would fall easily to the simplest of proximity detection systems. Any attempt to cloak the flagship with anti-proximity cloaking would expend too much energy and cripple the flagship's construction capabilities.

"Damage report on the flagship?" Tora asked.

"Minor outer hull damage and a few system shorts. Otherwise, we're all right."

"Status on the enemy fleet?"

"The enemy is falling back and attempting to escape to hyperspace. However, our gravity weapons are destabilising the space time continuum enough for them to remain. Meanwhile, our cloaked fighters are closing on their command vessel."

"Commence gravity bombing as soon as they are within range."

"Affirmative."

The Lord II class attack carrier was already venting drive plasma from various breaches in its hull. What little armor it had left bore ugly gashes and craters from the Tobari barrage. Then the Tobari bombers emerged from cloak and launched their gravity bombs.

The fighters swerved away as the payload approached their target. Metallic spheres nearly a third the size of a fighter moved closer and closer. As soon as the bombs were within a few seconds of the carrier, they exploded and unleashed a massive pulse of gravity.

The gravitational shockwaves ripped through space and the carrier within. Entire stretches of hull were torn apart as the superstructure failed under the massive stress. Moments later, the carrier shattered under the combined force of a dozen gravity bombs.

The loss of the attack carrier seemed to throw the Raiders into chaos. As the organisation of the Raider fleet fell apart, the Tobari fleet moved in for the kill. Minutes later, the battle had ended.

General Tora walked away from the viewscreen as the salvaging operation began. Salvage craft would move in to extract whatever useful wreckage there was out there for processing into usable resources.

The invasion would soon continue.

* * *

**Central Command Station, high orbit over New Taiidan:**

The commander could not believe his eyes. His sensors officer had asked him over to see some never-before-seen sensor readings, and he too could not make sense of it.

"What in the Galaxy, some quantum signature but it's not a hyperspace signature?"

"Sir, sensors are also picking up increasing distortion to the local space time continuum. We may be feeling the effects anytime…"

Both Taiidani officers held on as the massive command station began to shake. Everyone on the bridge stared at the viewscreens as the light of New Taiidan's primary star began to waver. In fact, it was as though the light were being distorted in increasing magnitude.

Klaxons began to sound as parts of the command station succumbed to the stress. Emergency doors sealed tight as bulkheads blew apart. Still, there was no respite from the quake – in fact the vibrations were still increasing in strength.

Just when the commander thought that all was lost, a massive shockwave hit the station as a hole began appearing in the fabric of space time. Sensors struggled to compensate as the portal shimmered with all the colours in the spectrum. The portal was very large, so large it could have accommodated the station with space to spare.

The metallic sphere that shot out of the portal took everyone's breath away. The ship, or whatever it was, had a diameter equivalent to two Imperial flagships placed side by side. Its surface was covered by intricately complex circuitry, shining gently in the light.

The vibrations weakened as the portal shrunk, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. It took the commander some time to realise that there was something big and potentially dangerous hanging smack in the middle of Imperial space. He wasted no time opening communications.

"This is the Imperial Taiidan Central Command Station calling unknown vessel. You have entered Imperial space illegally. Withdraw or be destroyed."

The commander knew it was a lie. The High Guard fleet had gone off to arrest the rogue Admiral Ecron, leaving only two carrier fleets to defend New Taiidan. That, and an extensive satellite defence system, was all they had.

"Unknown vessel, this is your final warning. Withdraw immediately or be destroyed."

Silence greeted the commander on the channel for several seconds before the thing finally responded. The voice was cold and purely mechanical.

'_Targets of opportunity acquired.'_

The commander stared in horror as docking bays opened and a fleet spilt forth from the sphere. He turned around and saw his crew mates already sending red alert communications down to New Taiidan. The command station's massive turrets were armed along with the satellite defence system.

The fighters were star-shaped and whirred forward with astounding speed and agility. Imperial heavy interceptors raced forward to engage them, only to have their shots evaded effortlessly. It was as though inertia never existed.

The frigates resembled oversized diamonds, or at least that was how they were shaped. They too exhibited speed and agility that no Imperial frigate could match, and unleashed torrents of energy bolts that outdamaged even the heavy destroyer.

The only comforting fact was that the heaviest ship class appeared to be of the heavy cruiser chassis. However, it too was a deadly foe. Resembling an oval-shaped opal, the mechanical thing moved forward with ease, dispatching anything in its way.

Energy bolts began pummelling the command station, and the station responded with barrages of plasma bolts. However, the plasma bolts did minimal scorching to the hulls of the alien vessels, while mass drivers bounced harmlessly off whatever armor they were using.

On the other hand, the energy they were using in their energy bolt weaponry was clearly unlike anything the Imperials had seen before. As a bolt hit its target, it splattered around like plasma, but packed the force of a wide area ion beam. Sensor scans registered "unknown energy" as more and more of the bolts tore through the station's armor effortlessly.

Smoke had already filled the bridge and the commander was barely alive from the energy overloads that had wrecked the place. He could only watch helplessly as the defence fleets exploded under the torrential rain of energy bolts, which spewed from the alien ships like rapid fire mass drivers.

How glad he was when the Sphere locked on and ended his nightmare.

* * *

Only debris remained now. There was no Imperial fleet, command station or satellite defence system.

The fleet withdrew into the Sphere, which embraced its children wholeheartedly. Tactical projections were looking very good, for no losses had been taken.

All that remained now was the disposal of the planet.

A large aperture opened on the surface of the Sphere, and the massive ship turned to face New Taiidan. Space time shimmered as a brilliant bolt of energy began building up within.

Then a blazing crimson energy bolt the size of a battlecruiser leapt forth, charging towards the planet, scorching through the atmosphere, approaching the ground…

The bolt impacted and exploded, spreading its tendrils of fire far and wide. Fire rained down on every inch of surface there was on New Taiidan.

The Sphere ripped through time and space, leaving behind a planet that blazed as bright as a star.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"I apologise for my absence," Yuno said as she shimmered into view before Admiral Ecron, "There were urgent matters requiring my attention."

"It is quite alright, I'd have done the same had a friendly battlecruiser showed up with such terrible wounds," Ecron responded, "Now back to our discussions."

"As I was saying, we will need to band together whatever fleets there are in this Galaxy if we are to stand a chance against the Neo-Beast fleet. Hopefully, sheer numbers can make up for the sheer lack of technology."

"I don't understand – why is the _Koshiir Ra_ not able to protect against the _Qwaar Jet_? From my understanding of Koshiir Ra the God, it probably generates a shield of some sort, does it not?"

"Good guess, you're right. _Koshiir Ra_ can protect against the _Qwaar Jet_'s weaponry, but only to a certain extent. I'm sure you've heard of _Qwaar Jet_'s Quantum Pulse Cannon, but that pales in comparison with its ability to generate artificial singularities – not even _Koshiir Ra_ can withstand that."

"… Artificial singularities?" Ecron gasped, eyes wide open in shock. Such weapons had been proposed in theory by ambitious Imperial scientists, but it was just not possible with current technology. However, various damage reports had been drawn up to describe the potential of such a weapon, and it was certainly very devastating.

"We lost Nalthora to such a weapon. We couldn't do anything because _Koshiir Ra_ was already operating at full capacity…"

"That's what you think!" Kiir's voice cut in as he showed up on another projector.

"Kiir! Aren't you in the…"

"I'm still in the _Shipyard Naabal_'s Infirmary, but you know that is no barrier," Kiir laughed, "But anyway, I have some information regarding the _Koshiir Ra_ that will prove useful to us all."

"Excuse me, but you are…" Ecron enquired, looking at the new hologram that had appeared so suddenly.

"He's Kiir Sjet, one of our top scientists," Yuno answered, "Now Kiir, fire away."

"Alright then. You know I was in control of the _Koshiir Ra_ for some time, so I have a fair understanding of how its inner workings operate. For one thing, _Koshiir Ra_ draws its power from a quantum tapper energy system, and pumps that energy directly into the distortion field generators. It's interesting to note that the field generators have no real output limit, and will generate a field whose strength varies according to the energy pumped in."

"The thing is, _Koshiir Ra_'s quantum tappers are painfully primitive when compared to the Grand Core's power system. So basically, if we were to transfer the Grand Core over to the _Koshiir Ra_ and plug it into the power system, we'd be able to increase _Koshiir Ra_'s shield power manifolds."

"Even to the extent of stopping a singularity?" Yuno asked.

"I'm not sure about that. But if there's not enough energy to do so, we may as well call this war a lost cause."

"Kiir!"

"I'm serious, Yuno. You saw for yourself what the _Qwaar Jet _could do. I was pumping whatever the _Koshiir Ra_ had into the shields, and it all collapsed the moment the singularity hit. If we can't find a way to stop that singularity, there's no way we could win, even if we sent a combined galactic fleet against them."

The room remained silent as Kiir's words sank in. The Grand Core combined with _Koshiir Ra_ could well provide one last hope in this war. But if that hope was not enough, then…

"Very well then Kiir, I thank you for your information. As soon as you're out of the Infirmary you'll have free rein in transferring the Grand Core from the _Legacy _to the _Koshiir Ra_."

"No problem. Alright, I'll be going!"

As Kiir shimmered from view, Ecron looked grimly at Yuno.

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then Kiir's right – this war is lost."


	30. The Beginning of the End

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 30: THE BEGINNING OF THE END

* * *

**

"_Conquest."_

_Mythra central programming

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Admiral Ecron stepped out of the shuttle, fatigued and longing for some rest. He had not slept in the past 30 hours, and the exhaustion was starting to take its toll.

The diplomatic discussions with Yuno had gone well, with the Hiigarans and the T-MAT becoming new allies. Yuno had expressed gratitude at Ecron's decision, suggesting that the fleets move off in search of other potential allies. Ecron had agreed to do so once the Imperial fleets were fully repaired and serviced.

The Imperial Admiral was giving his last orders for the day when his wrist communicator crackled into life.

"Admiral Ecron, this is the bridge. We need you to get up here right away!"

"What is the matter?"

"It's… it's New Taiidan sir… the planet's just been…"

He was already sprinting for the turbolift.

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"I can understand why you want us under observation, but confined to bed!" Karan had exclaimed incredulously when the doctor had firmly gestured for her to lie down and rest.

"How else can observations be done?" the doctor had sighed in reply, "The whole point of the observation idea is for the patients to get some rest while the doctors monitor the situation…"

Karan then had a good mind to invoke her position as Sajuuk-Khar and supreme leader of Hiigara to override the doctor's orders, but Kiir had winked at her to just go along. Fuming mad, she had then allowed herself to be helped into bed by a medical officer.

"I can't believe this. Here we are in the middle of a galactic war and they confine key personnel to bed…" Karan muttered, her arms folded across her chest as she lay on the bed, "Have they no idea about the significance of this war's outcome?"

"You know, Karan, the doc's right," Kiir replied, "I mean, if you did get hurt in that battle, it wouldn't be good for you to lead a fleet against the Neo-Beast. The last thing we need is for you to pass out while in command of the _Sajuuk_…"

"Kiir has a good point," came the voice of Admiral Eefrit from another bed, "Even if there's nothing wrong with you, I don't see any harm in letting the doctors confirm your condition."

"But every second we spend like this is a second wasted," Karan argued, "And time isn't exactly on our side right now. Besides, there is also that battlefield we saw, along with all those alien derelicts…"

"Like I said, Karan, that race is probably as dead as the Progenitors," Kiir reassured, "It's been thousands of years, and we see no sign of them but their debris and derelicts."

Karan remained silent as she fell into deep thought. Kiir's reasoning was logical enough, but it did little to remove the feeling of unease she had been feeling inside her. Her intuition had been sharpened tremendously thanks to her prolonged exposure to the Cores, and it had never been proven wrong.

There was also another ominous feeling within her, an unease that stemmed from her hyperspace senses. The only other time she had encountered this was when Makaan used the Third Core to Far Jump for the first time, confirming her suspicions of trouble brewing in the East.

Karan could not understand what she was feeling. Either there was a Fourth Core, or some other hyperspatial event was occurring…

* * *

**Outskirts of Balcora:**

The massive derelict remained silent, its mechanisms unmoving. Conduits were utterly devoid of the quantum energy they were designed to contain and transfer.

A fleet approached from afar, as if it were expecting the ancient system to suddenly roar into life in a show of welcome. Still, the derelict structure continued its slumber, for it would only answer to _Sajuuk_.

The _Eye of Aaraan_ was truly an amazing intra-galactic transport system. Gates were located extensively throughout the known Galaxy, each pair linking sectors separated by vast expanses of space. In fact, the careful and strategic positions of each gate and its sister gate made it possible for any ship to connect any two locations with a maximum of four short jumps.

But the _Eye_ itself is a different story. Only the _Eye_ and the central _Eye _alone has the power to send a ship to any gate that has ever existed in the gate network. If reconfigured for complete access, it allows every gate the capacity to link with every other gate but the _Eye_ itself.

Only the _Sajuuk_ has the privilege of using these features.

When Karan had unlocked the secrets of the _Eye of Aaraan_, she could have configured it such that the network was in "complete access" mode, whereby any ship could simply enter any gate and jump to the gate of its choice. However, security concerns for Hiigara made Karan leave the system in "limited access" mode. This would force any ship wishing to bypass Hiigara's inhibitor network to use the entry gate on the edge of the Hiigaran control zone. Of course, that gate was heavily guarded by Hiigaran forces, for its exit gate was mere light minutes away from Hiigara itself. Other gates in the network also behaved similarly, linking to only one other exit gate.

But now, the _Eye of Aaraan_ is about to answer to a ship that is not _Sajuuk_.

The _Qwaar Jet_, along with every other infection-capable ship in the fleet, fired upon the _Eye of Aaraan_. Crimson beams of the plague ripped into the ancient system, the nanites burrowing deep under the surface, rewriting software and rerouting hardware…

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, _Eye of Aaraan_ perimeter:**

Kaark felt his power increasing as more of the _Eye_ fell under his control. There had, surprisingly, been some resistance to the takeover due to the _Eye_'s built in repair nanite system. As a result, the infection process was slowed, delaying complete subversion of the _Eye_.

"No matter, it will soon fall, and with it, the rest of the Galaxy," muttered Kaark as he watched the organic layering spread across the derelict, "But first I must deal with the wretched Hiigarans."

He had been surprised at how quickly the Hiigarans had negotiated alliances with the Nalthorans and the T-MAT. Now that his forces had been completely withdrawn from the North, he expected the Imperial Taiidan to join the alliance as well. If that were the case, his forces would probably be slightly outnumbered by the Alliance fleet.

Of course, he would still win the war. The _Qwaar Jet_ had already demonstrated clearly that _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ were powerless to stop it, even though both were in the Hiigarans' possession. But such a victory would cost him dearly, perhaps nearly his entire fleet.

He needed more power, more power than he had ever wielded, and the _Eye_ was the first step. The next step would be to use the _Eye_ as a superhighway to every homeworld of every sentient space-faring race there was. He would move in, subvert their forces, and add their ships to his fleet. Only when his fleet was large enough to guarantee a crushing victory would he then make the final assault against the pitiful Alliance.

Kaark opened his eyes as he felt the last remnants of the _Eye_ fall under his control. He gazed at the massive structure in awe, and stared at the huge circular ring in the centre, the _Eye_ itself.

A single thought sent ripples of quantum energy pulsing through the derelict. The conduits glowed and the _Eye_ began to turn, the space within it rippling like a pool of crystal clear water. When the rippling space roared open into a brilliant portal of blue, the Keepers rushed forth, jumping through the portal to every gate within range of a homeworld…

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Yuno could scarcely believe her eyes as the first images came trickling in from the _Merciless_. Ecron's recon squadron had arrived at New Taiidan, only to discover the calamity that had just taken place.

The entire planet was aflame with infernos that towered several hundred metres. There was nothing left on the surface, no building, road or any other sign of civilisation. Even the debris had been melted down to molten metal.

The atmosphere was slowly but steadily burning away into space. The magnitude of destruction was clearly beyond the reach of any atmosphere deprivation weapon. It would have taken tremendous firepower to create a blaze which burned down entire mountain ranges.

"… I'm sorry Admiral Ecron. On behalf of the Hiigaran people, I would like to express my…"

"There is no need for apologies, Yuno," Admiral Ecron replied, fighting back tears as he watched the blaze continue unabated, "You were not the ones responsible for this… atrocity."

"Rest assured, Ecron, the Alliance will do everything in its power to track down the ones responsible and bring them to justice," Yuno declared, "Now I must enquire with you about the enemies the Imperials have made in their dealings."

"Enemies? We have plenty of that, but none with the technology to pull something like this off. Even without the High Guard, the satellite defences can handle anything smaller than a Mothership assault force."

"Could it have been the Neo-Beast?"

"Not possible. Long range sensors situated throughout Imperial space all picked up the Neo-Beast hyperspace signatures. They were _leaving_, not invading."

"Every last one of them?"

"Yes. Perhaps we could enquire with that battlecruiser crew of yours for details, but the Neo-Beast is definitely not responsible."

"True indeed, the _Qwaar Jet_ would have simply blown up the entire planet."

"Well, if you will excuse me, I have to see to the memorial services…"

"Why of course, Admiral. Once again, I am very sorry for what has happened."

"Thank you, Yuno. Ecron out."

As Yuno closed the channel, her mind was wracked with worry. Not only was there a virus with Progenitor technology invading the Galaxy, but now there was this unknown enemy running around and burning planets. They needed to move now.

"Yuno to _Shipyard Naabal_, Captain Elohim do you read?"

"Captain Elohim here, what do you want?"

"What is the status on the _Horizon_'s repairs?"

"Well, the _Horizon_ was pretty badly beaten up, but the structural technologies are quite amazing. There is a lot of Progenitor influence in the design, all of which is making the repair job much easier."

"How long before the _Horizon_ is ready for battle?"

"At our current rate of repair, a little over six hours."

"What about Karan and the rest of the crew? Are they still under observation?"

"From what I heard, I think so. They still have another 18 hours to go…"

"Tell the doctor to cut that to six, we have another emergency on our hands and we need everyone to be ready for this."

"But Yuno, Navy Code says…"

"… The doctor has the final say? Well, tell that to this!" Yuno cried as she flung the video into the shipyard's computers. Elohim took one glance and gawked in horror.

"… Oh well, I'll see to it right away. By Sajuuk…" Elohim muttered as he closed the channel in shock.

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"So we just stick around for six more hours? Now that's what I've been waiting to hear," exclaimed Kiir, "What about the bad news?"

"The bad news is, something happened to New Taiidan," Elohim replied grimly, showing everyone the video of the burning planet. Karan gasped when she saw the sight.

"By Sajuuk, what being in the right mind could have done this?" Karan uttered, "And you say it wasn't the Neo-Beast?"

"According to Yuno's data report, it wasn't their doing."

"Now this is getting creepy," Captain Soban spoke, "Was the enemy anywhere near when the recon squad got there?"

"The recon squad didn't pick up any ships other than their own. They did pick up several disturbances to the space time continuum in the area, though."

"Wait, did you say disturbances to…" Karan asked, her eyes widening in shock.

"Yeah, it was as though something ripped open the very dimensions themselves and just waltzed right in. No sign of any known hyperspace technology…"

Captain Elohim was rudely interrupted when the shipyard plunged suddenly and the alarms went off. Holding onto a bed for support, Elohim yelled into his wrist communicator as the shipyard continued to roll and shudder.

"Elohim to bridge, what's going on?"

Realspace anomaly, the entire fleet's feeling the effects. Gyros are trying to compensate, but…

"Realspace anomaly!"

That's what our sensors are telling us… wait, we have a portal open! Something's coming through!

* * *

**Northern Outer Rim:**

The dimensional shockwaves dissipated as the portal closed swiftly, having deposited its cargo back in realspace. The Sphere now regarded its new enemies with interest.

'_Acquiring targets of opportunity… detecting Enemy technologies.'_

It had spied the Progenitor ships drifting in the ships' midst.

'_Targets of opportunity acquired. Commencing destruction of Enemy.'

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

"Unidentified fleet, we mean you no harm! Please respond!" Yuno tried her best to establish communications with the Sphere and the fleet it was spewing, but to no avail.

_"It is of no use. We sense no emotions coming from the fleet,"_ came the voice of the T-MAT, "_The entity appears to be completely computerised."_

"So this is the thing that burned New Taiidan?" Ecron asked, his voice seething with rage.

"It would definitely have the capacity to…" Yuno replied as the alarms went off, "All ships go to maximum alert, we have enemy ships on incoming vectors!"

The order went out, and the Hiigaran fleet responded. Carriers wasted no time moving to the rear while frigates and super capital ships rushed forward with their strike craft cover. Repaired Imperial Taiidan ships also moved to join the Hiigarans while the T-MAT remained behind to cover the rest of the still-disabled Imperial fleets.

The _Legacy_ itself began moving into formation with the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_, proceeding to cover both ships with a minimal distortion field.

When the Hiigaran ships began firing upon the enemy vessels, Yuno was surprised to see that their weapons were doing minimal damage to their ship hulls. Energy weapon blasts had much of their destructive energy conducted harmlessly away, while mass drivers bounced off the armor, leaving nothing but a few light scorches and cracks.

Strangely enough, the enemy vessels did not return fire. They merely swept through the attacking Hiigaran forces as though they were moving through a weak sandstorm. Battlecruiser salvos were ignored completely as the simply-shaped capital ships advanced without difficulty.

The star-shaped fighters came within range of the _Legacy_ and suffered the wrath of the Mothership's pulsar defences. The pulsars barely scratched the fighters, bringing down one or two with concentrated fire. Still, the fighters swept on.

It was then that the fighters reached the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_, proceeding to unleash all their firepower upon the two Progenitor ships. The distortion field blocked most of the shots, but some of the energy bolts managed to slip through loopholes and slam into the ships' hulls.

Yuno knew immediately that things were not looking good, especially with the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ without any form of conscious control. She watched as part of the fighters broke off to engage the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ in the rear, hoping for some miracle to happen.

The T-MAT fleet flared up in a brilliant display of ionic energy. Aqua ion beams lashed through the fighter clouds, slicing dozens of the star fighters to pieces. Megaships began manoeuvring to the front of the two Progenitor Gods as the enemy capital ships came within range. Seconds later, the enemy capital ships opened fire, letting loose a barrage of energy bolts that rained down on the Gods. This time round, the shots were completely blocked either by the distortion field or the megaships in front of the vessels.

Smouldering from the awesome power of the energy bolts, the megaships returned fire and sent ion beams blazing into the enemy capital ships. The ion beams contained so much raw energy that the armor could not dissipate it all in time, melting away and exposing the vulnerable interior.

_"Divert your resources to energy weapons. The enemy's armor can only dissipate so much energy."_ advised the T-MAT.

"Got it. Yuno to fleet, divert all power to energy weapons and focus fire on a single spot in their armor."

A sensor update caught Yuno's attention. Confirming the update, she was shocked to see the _Horizon_ launching from the _Shipyard Naabal_.

"Yuno to _Horizon_, your repairs aren't done yet! Kiir, what in Kharak's name are you doing!"

"Correction, this is Eefrit. I'm bringing Karan and Kiir to the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ right now."

"Eefrit, the situation is too dangerous for a ship as damaged as the _Horizon_! Withdraw immediately!"

"No worries, the shield'll protect us from harm."

"But…"

"Yuno, just watch. Eefrit out."

Yuno nearly screamed in anger. Why did everyone have to get reckless in a battle like this?

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Kiir watched Eefrit command the bridge effortlessly. Eefrit could not control the _Horizon_ via the neurohelmet like Kiir did, so he had to do it the old-fashioned way.

"I can see that the _Horizon_ is in good hands, Eefrit," Kiir commented.

"Well, no matter how advanced your designs can get, some things just stay unchanged," Eefrit replied, "All right, full throttle and all power to distortion field, we've got to get to the _Koshiir Ra_ ASAP!"

The bridge officers responded with clockwork efficiency, and the _Horizon_ lunged forward in inertialess mode. It was soon in the firestorm of energy that the enemy was throwing at the _Koshiir Ra_, but the distortion field deflected all the shots admirably.

"Kiir, these ships and the derelicts we saw back there, they are the same!" Karan said.

"I'll have to agree with you on that. Didn't expect these things to be… alive after so long," Kiir replied, looking grimly at the battle outside.

The _Horizon_ swerved and danced around the flurry of energy, each step bringing it closer to the besieged _Koshiir Ra_. Any energy bolts that it didn't manage to dodge were harmlessly deflected by the quantum distortion field.

It was then that the enemy seemed to realise what they were trying to do. Moments later, an oval-shaped heavy cruiser swept in to block the _Horizon_'s advance. Eefrit swore in defiance and ordered the helm officer to evade the ship, but the heavy cruiser matched their swerve effortlessly and brought itself directly in front of them once more.

Admiral Eefrit decided he had had enough.

"Damned ship, fire all weapons!"

The _Horizon_ opened fire with its pulse cannons and ion point defences, the pulses and beams of energy slamming into the heavy cruiser with overwhelming force. The heavy cruiser reeled for a moment, then countered with its own armament of bolt cannons, sending wave after wave of energy bolts slamming into the _Horizon_'s distortion field. Most of the bolts swerved away in the curved space time, but a few slipped through and impacted the outer hull, rocking the battlecruiser violently.

"Damage report!" yelled Eefrit.

"Admiral, we have outer hull breach on deck 7 and minor stress damage to the inner hull."

"This is probably going to keep happening for a while," Eefrit muttered, "Issue lockdown order! I want every bulkhead on this ship completely sealed in three minutes!"

Turning to Karan and Kiir, Eefrit gestured for them to get to the link section before the lockdown started. Kiir nodded and grabbed Karan's hand, leading her away from the bridge. Eefrit returned to the matters at hand.

"Are those distortion cannons online?" Eefrit asked.

"We have power to the topside turret. The bottom turret's repairs are incomplete," replied an officer.

"Good. Fire distortion cannon!"

The top turret turned to face the heavy cruiser and glowed with increasing brilliance. Then the oscillating blue ray of quantum energy blasted away and slammed into the heavy cruiser. Immediately, the armor began to vibrate furiously before ripping away into shreds as the beam sank deeper into the heavy cruiser. The AI onboard the heavy cruiser tried to save itself by moving the ship out of the line of fire, but it was too late. The superstructure failed and the heavy cruiser crumbled in a ball of fire.

Eefrit yelled in delight as he tasted the sweet victory. It was then that the sensors began warbling angrily, warning of an imminent catastrophe. Eefrit had scarcely enough time to interpret the data when a large red energy bolt released itself from the Sphere. The bolt sliced through space and slammed into the distortion field around _Koshiir Ra_. The entire region of space seemed to light up as the shockwave spread outwards, grabbing the _Horizon_ and flinging it away like a leaf in a tornado.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_:**

The _Legacy_ swept away from the _Koshiir Ra_, unceremoniously shoved away by the sheer might of the shockwave. Alarms were going off across all decks as Yuno attempted to figure out what was wrong. To her horror, the distortion field she had put up around the _Koshiir Ra_ and _Sajuuk_ was gone!

The energy bolt was so powerful it had caused some massive energy feedback in the _Legacy_'s power systems. The Grand Core had escaped damage, but the Mothership itself had more than half of its systems taken offline. Had the blast been stronger, the resulting feedback would have most probably erased the computer core along with her consciousness.

Yuno to fleet, the _Legacy _has taken critical internal damage. We require immediate repair assistance. Also, reroute all command functions through the _Pride of Hiigara_, the _Legacy_'s too beaten up to serve as flagship right now.

The distress call sent, Yuno set to work diverting all remaining power to life support and the cryogenic subsections. So many circuits had blown that the Mothership could only muster 15 percentpower.

The _Legacy of Kharak_ was out of action.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"Status report on the _Legacy_!" Admiral Ecron yelled as the flagship stabilised itself from the violent shockwave.

"The _Legacy_'s out of action, sir. That last hit took out the distortion field and caused severe feedback damage."

"But the _Legacy_ was using the Grand Core to power that field!"

"Sir, you must remember Yuno's data report, that the Grand Core was not designed as a shield generator. It can provide tremendous power and project distortion fields, but ultimately it is just a jump drive!"

"Damn it! Do they require assistance?"

"The Hiigaran repair squads are working on it, we should concentrate on this battle."

"Very well. Order all ships to focus fire on that Sphere!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_:**

"Stabiliser control!" Eefrit yelled as the _Horizon_ continued to tumble through space. In response, the helm officer bashed on some buttons on his console.

The Hyperphase Drive whined loudly as it strained to bring the _Horizon _to a stop. The battlecruiser's superstructure groaned and creaked under the stress, and Eefrit prayed that it would all hold together.

Thankfully, it did, and the ship began to right itself.

"Sir, the Imperial Fleet is advancing on the Sphere. They are coming under heavy fire. Furthermore, the _Legacy_ has suffered critical internal damage and is withdrawing from battle."

"Great. Now retreat isn't even an option if we can't use the Grand Core…"

The battlecruiser shook as it came under enemy fire once more, reminding Eefrit of their predicament and their mission.

"We'll just have to do this again. Full throttle, head for the _Koshiir Ra_!"

Kiir and Karan lay down in the link section, waiting for the moment when the _Horizon_ docked with the _Koshiir Ra_. The eerie darkness of the place was only briefly illuminated by the occasional flash of a warning light.

They had taken a few tumbles when the shockwave had hit the ship, but no injuries were sustained.

"The battle must be pretty fierce for a battlecruiser-class ship to be tossed around like that," Karan commented, "I certainly hope your ship can take the beating."

"Don't worry, if we could survive the _Qwaar Jet_, this is nothing," beamed Kiir, "Anyway, Eefrit's a damned good captain – he'll get us to the _Koshiir Ra_ in no time."

Another shudder reverberated through the _Horizon_'s hull as an energy bolt made its way through the shields. A distant explosion made Kiir slightly worried. If Eefrit couldn't get them there in time…

He placed his hand on the bulkhead door controls, as a precaution…

"We're nearly there!" the helm officer yelled over the din of alarms and klaxons baring non-stop.

"Good work everyone," praised Eefrit, "Now, let's push through!"

"Sir, sensors are reading another energy spike coming from the Sphere, they are going to fire the main cannon again!"

The viewscreen flickered to show the images of the Sphere powering up, the brilliant red light slowly building in the aperture of its main cannon. Eefrit could only stare in dismay.

If the _Koshiir Ra_ took a direct hit without the protection of a distortion field…

_Horizon_ continued on despite smouldering from many breaches in its outer hull. The battlecruiser's distortion field was almost gone, and only a flicker remained to provide minimal protection. Still, the Hyperphase Drive pushed the ship forward…

A blinding red light emanated from the Sphere as it released the gathered energies in a single blast. Hiigaran, Imperial and T-MAT ships moved out of the way as the blast shot forward towards the _Koshiir Ra_. Undaunted, Eefrit went on with the docking procedure.

At last, the _Horizon_'s docking corridor met the _Koshiir Ra_ airlock with a clang.

And everything turned white as the blast hit.

* * *

**Tanis wastelands:**

The shimmering gate lay before them, the portal lit up in a multitude of colours. The gate contained so much energy, enough to send entire fleets to another galaxy.

The _Stargazer_ hesitated, along with the rest of the fleet behind it.

This gate was a doorway to a new land where their civilisation could be preserved.

They would leave behind this Galaxy, all the conflicts and wars taking place within it…

But how could they abandon those who had protected them?


	31. Crescendo

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 31: CRESCENDO

* * *

**

"_Galactic lore has spoken of a great God whose Name is Sajuuk, He Whose Hand Shapes What Is."_

"_And now, this incredible warship we have rescued from Vaygr hands shows that Sajuuk is, indeed, neither myth nor tale."_

"_Sajuuk is real."_

"_The question now is, how real?"_

_Debrief by Karan Sjet after the Rescue of Hiigara.

* * *

_

She opened her eyes groggily, expecting to see the dull metal surroundings of the _Horizon_'s interior.

All Karan saw was the bright white mist.

The mist was all around her, and she appeared to be drifting in the middle of nowhere. Yet she was definitely standing on something solid.

'Is this a dream?' Karan wondered.

"_Quite the contrary, Chosen of Sajuuk."_

The voice had come suddenly, echoing gently from all directions and dissipating gradually into the mystical misty surroundings. It was commanding, yet soothing in nature.

"Where am I?" Karan asked, recovering quickly from the suddenness of the voice.

"_You are in a safe place, that is all that matters,"_ replied the voice.

The power of the voice stunned Karan into silence once more. Never before had she encountered something so supreme, so divine.

"Who… who are you?"

"_My identity varies from culture to culture. In your language, I am known as Koshiir Ra."_

"Koshiir Ra! But, you're supposed to be a ship…"

"_Why yes, I am a ship. To be more specific, I am the innate artificial intelligence that governs the Koshiir Ra and its functions."_

"You control the ship? But then, how is Kiir then able to…"

"_Kiir is like you, Chosen of Sajuuk. Kiir Sjet, and only Kiir Sjet, is able to wield my power, for I have selected him."_

"… You choose your pilots?"

"_Intriguing to your way of thinking, isn't it? That the ship should choose the pilot, rather than vice versa?"_

"I see… Why then did you bring me here?"

"_Surely you haven't forgotten?"_ replied _Koshiir Ra_, the surroundings changing as the syllables echoed away to nothingness. The white mist lost its brightness and everything darkened to become the blackness of space. Karan got the feeling she was hurtling through space to some destination.

The battle came into view quickly enough, only it was paused in limbo. Karan saw the ships frozen in space, shots of firepower unmoving yet en route to their targets. The massive Sphere hung some distance from the struggling Alliance Fleet, which was dealing with some very bad problems of its own.

Where _Koshiir Ra_ and _Sajuuk_ were supposed to be, there was only a sphere of blinding crimson light, as though some lethal energy had engulfed both ships in a mighty blast.

"_The Mythra will do anything to accomplish their objective, even if it means obliterating unrelated fleets standing in their way."_

"The Mythra? You mean, this ancient race you were fighting so many years ago?"

"_We encountered them when we opened an experimental hyperspace gate, one that has the potential to reach any point in known space. It was originally intended to open a route to the next galaxy, but programming errors caused a wormhole to link this galaxy to the neighbouring supercluster."_

"I gather your first encounter turned out badly?"

"_Needless to say, the Mythra were uninterested in diplomatic relations. I would tell you more, but Kiir Sjet has a task to accomplish."_

"Kiir? Wait, tell me more about Kiir! Is he alright? If he's your Chosen pilot, why aren't you talking to him in…"

"_All will be answered in due time, Karan. We will meet again…"_

"Koshiir Ra! Wait!"

But the voice had gone for good, and Karan was plunged into darkness.

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"… Damage report…" Eefrit murmured as he pulled himself from the cold hard floor. He wasn't sure if the ship could still move after that last blast. Most importantly, he wasn't sure if _Koshiir Ra _was still around.

The rest of the bridge officers attempted to comply with Eefrit's request, trying their best to shake off the dizziness that had come with the last shockwave. Sensors provided scrambled information, while the viewscreens displayed flickering static.

"… Sir, sensors are too scrambled, we need some time for them to compensate…" an officer managed to blurt out.

"We don't have time, get those sensors up ASAP, we can't fight this battle if we're blind…"

The officer nodded, and typed away at whatever remained of the console before him. _Horizon_ had taken so many hits that the resulting electrical feedback had knocked out a good majority of the bridge command stations. That they still had any functioning consoles at all was a miracle.

One of the viewscreens responded, the flickering static struggling to focus into something coherent. As Eefrit strained his eyes, he was able to make out some faint signs of a big battle going on outside, but nothing more.

"That's the best I can get you, Sir," the officer reported with a sigh, "Now we just have to wait for proper recalibration."

"You've done your best, so no worries," replied Eefrit, who had finally managed to knock the dizziness out of his head, "Helm, lock on to the _Sajuuk_'s NAV beacon and home in on autopilot. I don't see how we can steer like…"

It was then that the viewscreen suddenly went through a few more flickers, then organised itself into a proper image. There was plenty of interference, but its contents were plainly recognisable by all who looked at it.

_Koshiir Ra_ was still there, and the crimson blast was burning itself out inside a spherical distortion field.

When Karan regained consciousness, she was relieved to find herself back in the metallic interior of the _Horizon_. She felt some dismay, however, that she wasn't able to get anything more out of her little conversation.

"Some knock on the head that was… Kiir, you alright?" Karan asked, looking around for Kiir. To her surprise, she could not find him anywhere around. Glancing at the airlock, she was relieved to find that it had not been opened anytime during the past few minutes.

"Where in Kharak's name could Kiir be…" Karan muttered as she punched the intercom button, "Karan to bridge, anyone there?"

"Karan Sjet?" came the voice of Eefrit, "You're alright, I trust?"

"Nothing serious, but Kiir… he's not here!"

"Kiir? Why, there's no way he could have left the ship, the airlock never opened, the shockwave knocked us away before we could link up. I'll check the internal sensors."

"Don't bother, something tells me he's no longer on this ship," Karan flatly replied, "He's probably safe wherever he is, so we should concentrate on getting to the _Sajuuk_ quickly."

"Right then, we're bringing the Hyperphase Drive online again."

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Captain Soban couldn't be more grateful to the T-MAT for their assistance. The shuttle had left the shipyard on a supposed suicide mission – captain transfers in the middle of battle was unheard of. Soban's transport shuttle had nearly fallen prey to the enemy's strike craft on numerous occasions, but he was always saved by a quick strategic ion burst from a nearby megaship. The T-MAT megaships had also done a good job covering the _Gatekeeper_ from the attacks of the enemy.

"Captain Soban to T-MAT fleet, I thank you for your assistance," Soban spoke into the channel, relieved to be in one piece on his bridge, "Where do you need the firepower?"

_"One must tackle the problem at its roots – deal with the main Sphere and perhaps we will face better odds."_

"Very well. Helm, you got that?"

The officer didn't reply, but responded by giving the Dreadnaught's drives a kick of energy. The ship leapt forward, its flanks covered by T-MAT megaships and cruisers. Sure enough, an enemy heavy cruiser manoeuvred to block their path, only to be torn apart by the blazing vermillion beam of the Phased Cannon Array.

The battle had supposedly taken a turn for the worse when the Sphere fired upon an unprotected _Koshiir Ra_. Now that the legendary ship was online again, things were starting to look up.

The crimson blast had finally burned itself out, freeing the _Koshiir Ra_ to project its protection where it was most needed. Soban was glad to see the _Koshiir Ra_ put up a large primary field around the Alliance, and a small secondary field around the _Gatekeeper_ and the accompanying T-MAT strike force. Now they could head for the Sphere without worrying about enemy fire.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Northern Outer Rim:**

When one has little shield power and so much to defend, shield management is tricky business. Kiir found out that having an almost boundless amount of shield energy did little to make the management easier. Things were getting so chaotic that simply wrapping the fleet in one big field bubble would not work – too many enemy ships had slipped in among allied ships.

The enemy, or the Mythra as the _Koshiir Ra_'s databanks so called them, had stepped up their assaults with the _Koshiir Ra_'s activation. Now the Mythra capital ships were ignoring the Hiigaran, Imperial and T-MAT vessels to go straight for the _Koshiir Ra_, pummelling the ship's localised field in an attempt to break through and tear the vessel apart. But the distortion field, designed to resist firepower of much greater magnitude, shrugged it off casually.

Many things were worrying him, one of those worries being the _Legacy_'s severe internal damage. He had attempted to establish communications with Yuno but to no avail.

"Don't tell me their communications were wiped out as well," Kiir muttered as he tried to jump over to the _Legacy_ via the virtual world. He was unceremoniously stopped by _Koshiir Ra_ security algorithms displaying error messages. As if on cue, alert dialogs began popping up around him, indicating the Sphere had not given up.

Kiir swore he could feel the _Koshiir Ra_ shake, that is, if he could even feel the vibrations in virtual space. Visual sensors told him that the blast had dissipated itself along the curvature of the primary field, but not without causing some slight feedback in the _Koshiir Ra_'s shield systems.

He interpreted the sensors with disbelief. Here was a cannon lacking the power a Quantum Pulse weapon possessed, yet with considerably more effectiveness against shielding?

* * *

**Onboard the _Ascension_, hyperspace transit:**

The Tobari flagship raced through hyperspace with its invasion fleet. The invasion was certainly going well, having crushed easily the few Turanic Raider fleets that even dared to get in the way.

With each successful conquest, commanders would put together navigational data salvaged from the defeated, organising a new updated galactic map of the new powers in the Galaxy. After all, they had been isolated in the Southern Fringe for such a long time, and older maps had become very irrelevant.

Their next target was the Elor System, home to a so-called "splinter kingdom" of the old Taiidan Empire. Information scoured from the Turanic Raider computer core wrecks had revealed that the star system was particularly rich in resources, explaining why the kingdom had had the military power to repel any Imperialist attempt to take over.

General Tora had taken their resource supremacy into consideration – his fleet would have to rely almost entirely upon their stealth to defeat this enemy. Once all military targets had been neutralised, the resources found in the star system would prove very useful to the invasion.

"General, we will be arriving at the Elor System in two minutes' time," the NAV officer reported.

"Excellent, order all ships to raise cloak immediately. Objectives are to neutralise any and all targets of opportunity that may present a threat against us."

"Sir, we have incoming transmissions," interrupted another officer, "It appears to be a distress signal from the Elor homeworld."

"So the Elor System is already under attack," mused the General, "This will make things so much easier for us. Patch it through."

A few taps on the console powered up the communications channels in the bridge. The buzz of static was quickly replaced by the desperate call for help.

"This is the Royal Elor Fleet calling any ships in range. We are under attack by a hostile force and require immediate assistance! Our own ships are being turned against us! Someone help…"

The voice cut out and was replaced by screams of agony and terror. Ripping sounds echoed through the bridge as the channel continued operating, transmitting the horrific audio signals to the ears of the Tobari officers. Then it all ended abruptly as the static resumed.

"In the name of the Emerald Star," uttered Tora, "What happened?"

"General, we are emerging from hyperspace. Stand by for hyperspace exit to the Elor homeworld."

The shimmering realm of hyperspace pulled back as realspace intruded upon them. Seconds later, the quantum wavefronts had retreated completely, leaving the _Ascension_ and the invasion fleet in normal space.

It was a horror to behold: the remnants of the Royal Elor Fleet were putting up a last-ditch defence against a sole Keeper and its fleet, which comprised ships belonging to the Royal Guard. Their hulls were shaded a different colour, a dull organic crimson, and the Keeper continued to take over more ships with a strange crimson beam.

"General, the Royal Guard is engaging a Progenitor-led force," the sensors officer reported, "What action should we take?"

"Hold fire, you all know the capabilities of the Progenitors," Tora replied, "Order all ships to hold fire and maintain cloak. We will observe them from maximum range before deciding our next move."

The last of the Royal Guard was cut down quickly enough and subverted to join the Keeper's fleet. The odds were good – the Tobari still outnumbered them considerably, but General Tora was extremely worried by the strange organic beam the Keeper was using. No Keeper in the Southern Fringe had ever used such a weapon before.

The Keeper seemed to admire its newly-acquired brethren, then moved on to face the planet. The Progenitor vessel seemed to glow intensely with vermillion energy as it powered up for its next move.

A supercharged version of the crimson beam fired away at the Elor homeworld.

General Tora turned away immediately, as did many of his bridge officers. They could not bear to see what was coming next. The communications console blurted out the screams for help emanating from the planet as the thing began to consume everything on the homeworld, forcing the officer to power down the console.

"By the Emerald Star, what is this power we are witnessing?" Tora implored, his eyes gazing at the ceiling, "Why did the Ancients build such terrible weapons to wield?"

"I think we'll be knowing the answer rather soon General," commented the sensors officer, "The Keeper appears to have pierced our cloaks and is advancing on us quickly."

"General, the Keeper has yet to power up its inhibitor field. We can still pull back if that is your wish," the NAV officer reported.

Tora considered his options, then barked his orders at his subordinates.

"Shunt all power to hyperspace modules. Get the fleet out of here!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Captain Soban was emotionally pained as he watched the battle continue outside. Of the seven T-MAT megaships escorting them, four had succumbed to the astounding long range point defences of the Sphere. So powerful was the Sphere's defences that the Dreadnaught task force was the only Alliance group capable of getting within weapons range.

"Captain, the Sphere is within firing range of the plasma turret, we may fire at will," came the voice of the weapons officer over the intercom.

"How's the progress with recalibrating the Phased Cannon Array?" Soban enquired, for the T-MAT had given them a detailed breakdown of the enemy's armour composition, allowing them to calibrate their main weapon for maximum damage.

"Recalibrations will be done in little over a minute."

"Good, fire plasma turret!"

The _Gatekeeper_'s plasma turret spat away at the massive Sphere looming before them, the shots of plasma barely grazing the Sphere's protective armour. The accompanying T-MAT megaships followed suit, lashing away with their rapid-fire ion weapons. In response, the Sphere released another focused salvo of energy bolts, disintegrating a megaship and crippling another. The Dreadnaught rocked hard as the shields struggled to compensate.

"Captain, this is Engineering. We can't take much more of this!"

"What's the status on our shields?"

"Shield power at 56.4 percentand falling, we're getting system shorts everywhere. This feedback's too much for us to handle dammit!"

Soban became grim. For the Chief Engineer to start swearing at the captain meant that the situation was getting rather bad. The feedback damage was already evident on the bridge, with dozens of officers injured by their command consoles shorting out and exploding.

"I know things are looking bad," Soban returned, "But this is one battle we can't afford to lose. Just try to keep my ship together as long as possible, okay?"

The Chief Engineer muttered a Kharakian curse before grunting a reluctant "Roger," closing the channel immediately afterwards.

Another salvo raked across the _Gatekeeper_'s shields, causing more command consoles to spark and smoke. Soban swore loudly.

"Weapons, once you're done, just fire the damn…"

Captain Soban was cut short as the Dreadnaught shuddered again, this time from the firing of the Phased Cannon Array. The vermillion beam impaled the Sphere deeply, cutting through the armour easily. Soban gave a victorious whoop as he saw some kind of chain reaction take place, causing multiple explosions underneath the affected section.

"That'll show them to mess around with us," bristled Soban, "Weapons, get ready to fire…"

This time, the shields failed completely as the feedback overwhelmed the _Gatekeeper_'s power systems. Dozens of energy bolts plowed into the thick armour, some of it getting through and breaching the inner hull. The lights on the bridge flickered and gave out, leaving the place in the dim glow of emergency lighting.

"Captain, we've lost main power! Life support at 40 percentand falling!" an officer cried in dismay.

Soban swore, then fell silent as he saw another salvo of energy bolts head their way. This was it…

…Or so he thought. A megaship flashed in before them, taking the full brunt of the impact. The T-MAT vessel exploded under the stress, the crystalline superstructure shattering into millions of shards. Hundreds of voices echoed from the barely-functioning communications system, bringing tears to all who heard it.

"SAJUUK DAMN THEM ALL!" Soban cried as he brought his fist down on the non-functioning console before him. He was now weeping at the senseless loss of life, and the valiant sacrifices of the T-MAT. The only reason the Imperials and Hiigarans had been taking so few losses was because T-MAT megaships had been taking the hits for them. Now the T-MAT fleet was a shadow of its former self, relegating what few ships it had left to reinforce the T-MAT mothership's escort fleet.

"Consider your wish granted," Karan's voice echoed through the channel as a brilliant lance of light plunged into the Sphere. Soban quickly switched views on the viewscreen, and was relieved to find the _Sajuuk_ fully functional.

The main lighting flickered on as the ship's main power was restored temporarily. The Dreadnaught shook as the array powered up for a final blast, then released all the energy it could muster at the Sphere. The _Gatekeeper_ blasted the Sphere once more, its main reactors giving out and plunging them all into eternal darkness. _Sajuuk_ joined in with another Phased Cannon blast, supplemented with salvos of ion pulses from its point defences.

But the Sphere still did not give up. The giant aperture of its main cannon now faced the helpless Dreadnaught. Captain Soban watched haplessly as the crimson energies built up once more…

… And then exploded in a brilliant shockwave of energy as the _Koshiir Ra_ extended part of its distortion field into the Sphere like an invisible dagger. The angular distortion field protruded out the other end of the Sphere, pushing out shattered electronics and circuitry.

* * *

'_Critical damage sustained.'_

'_Aborting mission objectives.'

* * *

_

The Alliance fleet shook as the fabric of space time bent and tore around them. Moments later, the smouldering Sphere vanished from the battlefield, leaving its fleet behind. The remaining ships continued to fight on, but the battle was lost for them.

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_¸ Northern Outer Rim:**

Everyone was gathered in the ready room for the debrief. Yuno's hologram flickered with substantial interference, showing the extent of the internal damage which the Mothership had suffered.

"Everyone, we have just won a very tough battle, and I must applaud you all for your efforts," Karan began, standing before the commanding officers assembled in the room, "But the price was heavy. Yuno shall give the details."

"Thank you Karan," said Yuno as she dimmed the lights for her debrief, "This is the Alliance fleet's post-battle report. Imperial and Hiigaran forces both lost only 15 percentof ship numbers, and we all know why."

A wave of her flickering holographic hand brought up a graph of statistics. Hiigaran and Imperial casualties were far fewer as compared with…

"… The T-MAT have done much for us all, at the cost of nearly three quarters of their forces. They express continued support for the alliance, but regrets that they will not be able to join us for subsequent battles. They indicate a desperate need to refit and rebuild themselves, which means that we will be on our own if we get into any fights within the next few weeks."

"That is all regarding the T-MAT. As for the damage to the _Legacy_, it is very likely that the _Legacy_ will have to take a back seat from future battles," Yuno commented as she brought up the damage report of the Mothership.

"That last feedback event has done major damage to many critical Mothership systems, some of which have been damaged beyond all hope of repair. Thankfully, the cryogenic subsystems were spared this time round and no colonists were lost. However, if an event such as this was to take place again…"

"In the light of such circumstances, the _Pride of Hiigara_ shall take over flagship functions on a permanent basis, while the _Legacy_ will be kept at the fleet's rear at all times. Naturally, this will bring up concerns regarding the Grand Core and which ship should be housing it in place of the _Legacy_."

"After careful consideration and discussion, it has been decided that the Grand Core shall be transferred to the _Koshiir Ra_. Research by Kiir Sjet has shown that the Grand Core's quantum tappers will do much to enhance _Koshiir Ra_'s defensive capabilities. Hopefully, it will let the _Koshiir Ra_ deflect singularity events by the _Qwaar Jet_."

"As for this new enemy, databanks from the _Koshiir Ra_ have dubbed them the Mythra. They are a race of artificially intelligent ships and structures with only one goal – conquest. Apparently, the Progenitors encountered this race in their extra-galactic travels, and fought a long and hard war to repulse them from this Galaxy."

"Winning the war against the Neo-Beast is crucial, but safeguarding ourselves against the Mythra is just as pressing. We may have won the battle today, but it is likely that the Mythra will return. Note that the Mythra are not after us, but the Progenitor ships in our possession. So long as the _Sajuuk_, _Koshiir Ra_ and _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_ remain in our fleet, we will continue to be their target."

"For now, we are probably safe as we've done quite a bit of damage to their flagship. We will be jumping to the Fields of Plaz as soon as the Grand Core transfer is complete. There, we will begin resourcing operations to rebuild whatever we have lost today. The T-MAT will probably not be following us, but we will stay in touch. That is all I guess."

Yuno turned to Karan, wondering if she had anything else to add. Karan shook her head, and the room was dismissed.

As the commanders and captains began leaving the room, Admiral Ecron walked straight up to Karan.

"Admiral Ecron, it's a pleasure to meet you," Karan greeted, "I am grateful for your fleet's assistance in this war."

"So am I. Had your forces not jumped here, the entire Imperial fleet would probably have been slaughtered by the Mythra."

"But so would we if your forces had not cooperated in battle," responded Karan, "Well then, do you have something to tell me?"

"I do, but it will have to wait till we are alone."

Yuno watched as the last commander left the room, then shut the ready room doors and locked them. She nodded at Karan, who turned back to face Ecron.

"Alright then, what is it?"

"Lady Karan, I gather we would need more firepower in this war against the Neo-Beast and the Mythra, so I thought it would be best if I gave you the coordinates for a project we were working on."

Ecron connected his data drive to a wall console, and a set of schematics appeared on the holographic projector. Both Karan and Yuno studied the design with surprise.

"Karan, isn't this the Republican Nomad Moon?" Yuno asked.

"It is indeed, but it is different in some ways," noted Karan.

"Ah, you are indeed a sharp one. Imperial scientists were working on ways to bolster our forces and counter the _Sajuuk_'s capabilities. In the end, they pulled out the original Republican Nomad Moon design and made some modifications to it. They called it the War Moon. Other than the primary repulsor and ion cannon weaponry, the scientists added this."

Ecron pressed a few buttons, causing the projector to zoom in on the core of the War Moon.

"This is a Gravity Core, an amplified technology derived from the Homeworld War era of anti-fighter gravwells. It supposedly has the power to grasp any ship, even one as massive as the battlecruiser, and crush it in an amplified gravitational field. As far as I heard, tests on small frigate-sized asteroids have proven very successful. Coupled with a drive system that gives the War Moon mobility, it was supposed to be a weapon to bring down Hiigara once and for all."

"I can see how now," Karan commented, "You would use the War Moon to contain the _Sajuuk_, and possibly neutralise it. Once our trump card was dealt with…"

"… You would use superior numbers to destroy us," Yuno finished, "What a terrible weapon…"

"Indeed. The only problem is that it is still under Imperial control," Ecron added.

"What do you mean?"

"The gathered forces you see here may be the bulk of the Imperial Navy, but the War Moon Project is being carried out in an isolated sector of space. This was for the Project's own protection, for if Hiigaran intelligence had gotten wind of such a weapon… anyway, the Moon base runs under its own command, completely independent of New Taiidan."

"So if we want to get to the Moon," Karan spoke, "We'll have to deal with the Guard?"

"The sooner the better," Ecron stated, "War Moon is nearing completion. The last thing we want is to be fighting off _three_ foes."

"Of course, it'll be tactically better if we could fight along the War Moon rather than against it," Yuno commented, "Where is it?"

"I don't know how, but you've already guessed the location," Ecron replied.

"What do you… surely you can't mean the Fields of Plaz!" Yuno was incredulous.

"There is no other region in Imperial space that contains the resources needed for such a large-scale project," explained the admiral, "That is why I am concerned that we may not be able to mount a successful offensive in our current state."

"Ecron, do you have details on the task force stationed there?" Karan enquired.

"As far as I know, nothing more than three carrier groups. However, the only thing incomplete about the War Moon is the drive system. The Gravity Core has been fully operational since a month ago."

There was a silence in the room as Yuno and Karan pondered this problem. If Ecron's claims were to be trusted, the War Moon would have the means to neutralise whatever ship it deemed to be a threat. Furthermore, given that it was a gravity weapon, it was unclear as to how _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field would handle it.

"There may be a way," Ecron mentioned, breaking the silence, "The Gravity Core requires a tremendous amount of energy to use, so expect a recharge time of at least five minutes between attacks."

"That gives us a window period of five minutes to take it down…" noted Yuno.

"Nothing we can't handle," declared Karan, "We have the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ on our side. The sooner we deal with this, the better our odds in fighting the Neo-Beast and the Mythra."

Karan turned to the Taiidani admiral and shook him warmly by the hand. If they could use the War Moon's gravity weapon, perhaps there was hope in winning this war after all…

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Kiir still couldn't figure out how he had seemingly teleported himself from the _Horizon_ to the _Koshiir Ra_. If it was via the virtual world, he could understand. But his physical body?

When he had withdrawn from the _Koshiir Ra_'s computer systems, he had found himself lying on the interface platform on the ship's bridge. Either his abilities included teleportation, or some divine force brought him there.

But he would look into that later. Right now, the _Koshiir Ra_ was bustling with activity as Hiigaran resource collectors towed the massive Grand Core towards the _Koshiir Ra_'s open Core Containment Section.

He sincerely hoped that _Koshiir Ra_'s wings could protect them all.


	32. Lethal Strike

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 32: LETHAL STRIKE

* * *

**

"_To approach unhidden is to be destroyed."_

_Somtaaw historical archives

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Not since the days of the End Time had the _Pride of Hiigara_'s hangar bays bustled with such activity. Shuttles and transport corvettes streamed in and out, offloading teams upon teams of engineers, officers and pilots.

Yuno watched everything from the _Pride_'s internal cameras, sighing at the slow process that seemed to take forever.

"I can't imagine how I tolerated the slowness of moving about physically back then," Yuno commented to Kiir, who was sitting next to her, "I zapped over here in less than a second, now if only the crews had the same speed…"

"Things are totally different, you know," Kiir replied, "That's the real world, and reality usually works more slowly. Anyway, they're working pretty fast as it is."

"Of course, I don't deny their efficiency, it's just that…"

Yuno fell silent, at a loss as to what to say next. When she had been doomed to death, her own radical discovery had saved her life, or rather, her consciousness. It had been thrilling and incredible at first, for the virtual world allowed her to do things she was incapable of as her real self. But after having spent so much time in here, she had become a changed person.

The instantaneous nature of electronic signals meant that her sense of time was greatly changed. In the past, she felt that years took too long to pass. Now, waiting a few seconds could easily become intolerable in a realm where things could be done so quickly.

"Yuno, I always think that our sciences will catch up eventually," Kiir reassured, "I mean, they kept a DNA sample of you for that reason, didn't they?"

"Yes, it was intended to be stored until scientists could figure out a way to safely clone a copy of my original body, then re-download my consciousness back into that body. It's what I've always been dreaming of, the ability to feel, taste, smell…"

A notice sprang up beside Yuno, reminding her of the loads of work yet to be done. Yuno sighed.

"Well Kiir, it's about time you got back to the _Koshiir Ra_. I'm sure the Core transfer would be complete by now."

"Yeah, I'll be going," Kiir said as he stood up, "And don't worry, there will come a day when you will be set free."

"I hope so," Yuno responded, laughing at the thoughts surfacing in her mind, "Ironic that I should now be a prisoner of my own invention. See you later."

"I'm off then," Kiir waved as he warped back to the _Koshiir Ra_'s computers.

Yuno watched Kiir's digital trace fade away, and then got back to work.

Yuno to fleet, transfer of command algorithms has been completed. Begin rerouting all command functions through the _Pride of Hiigara_.

Within moments, the _Pride_'s computers began registering dozens upon dozens of connections as the fleet began updating its command registries.

The _Pride of Hiigara_ was now flagship once again.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Admiral Ecron was busy as well, making preparations for the coming fleet jump. According to Yuno, they would be making the jump once the Grand Core was transferred successfully to the _Koshiir Ra_ and deemed to be functioning optimally.

"So much to do, so little time," Ecron muttered as he filtered through the multitude of information reports displayed before him, "Where's that fleet status update?"

"I'm working on it Admiral," an officer yelled from the other side of the bridge, "I'll send it over to your console in five minutes!"

"Very well. Engineering, how's repairs coming along?"

_"Merciless_ can't be more ready, sir. All systems are operating at 100 percentefficiency."

"Make sure you're right, we'll be going against a weapon the equal of _Sajuuk_, so this ship had better not buckle in on me halfway through!"

"No problem, we'll check the systems one more time."

Ecron closed the intercom and sank into his chair, closing his eyes for a short break. So many things had happened in so short a time – Hiigara's destruction, the Neo-Beast invasion, the burning of New Taiidan, the Mythra attack…

"I seriously need a vacation somewhere exotic once this is all over," Ecron uttered under his breath, returning to inspecting the reports before him.

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"From the damage we see, _Gatekeeper_'ll be out of action for at least a week," Captain Elohim reported grimly, "I'm sorry, Soban."

"Isn't there anything you can do to get it ready by the next battle?" Soban asked, "From what I've been briefed, we may be needing all the firepower we can get."

"I'm afraid not, the ship's got so many system shorts I'm amazed it didn't blow up when you fired the Phased Cannon Array a second time. The best we can do is get the plasma turret up, but even that will take at least two days."

"Oh well, I guess it can't be helped then," Soban sighed sadly, "Just do your best with the _Gatekeeper_, alright?"

"We'll do what we can, rest assured."

Soban thanked Elohim and walked off to see his ship. Looking through a viewport, he saw the massive Dreadnaught and the injuries it had sustained.

The ship was covered in ugly black splotches where the energy bolts had penetrated the shields and scorched through the hull armor. Gashes were clearly evident as well on various sections of the ship, the result of the shields collapsing under the stress of enemy fire. The Dreadnaught's right wing had nearly been sheared off and now hung on by a few thin stretches of blackened metal.

Not even during the Vaygr War had the Dreadnaught taken such heavy damage.

Soban turned to look at the massive _Koshiir Ra_ hanging in the distance. The resource collectors were still hovering around the ship, connecting circuitry and making the final adjustments to the Grand Core's new housing compartment.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"_Karan."_

Karan was taken aback by the sudden voice. Just a moment ago, she had been monitoring the _Sajuuk_'s internal circuitry for feedback damage. Now, the voice had spoken into her mind like a bolt from the blue.

"_Chosen of Sajuuk."_

"Koshiir Ra?"

"_We meet again."_

"This was most unexpected," Karan began as she composed herself, "I have many questions for you."

"_I will try to answer as best as possible in what little time we have."_

"Thank you. Now, why is it that you speak to me instead of Kiir, who pilots your ship?"

"_Simply because it is not possible to."_

"It's not possible? I don't understand…"

"_The ship never speaks to the pilot. Doing so only compromises the pilot's ability to control the ship."_

"What do you mean?"

"_When you became the living controller of the Sajuuk, Sajuuk's AI was no longer required. Your extensive experience with mind-machine interfacing was key to that outcome. Sajuuk simply disappeared."_

"Then how is it that you are still able to converse with me?"

"_Kiir is young and has yet to master the intricacies of mind-controlling a ship. However, he is learning fast, and when the time comes…"_

"But why can you not speak with him?"

"_Because the pilot's ultimate goal is to become One with the Ship. In your terms, Unbound. If the pilot becomes aware of another presence in the ship, the effects on his psyche would slow down the integration process. You must remember that becoming 'Unbound' takes more than simply linking the mind to a ship's computers."_

"What then, is the meaning of being Unbound?"

"_That, I cannot tell you. However, all I can say is that you are well on the way. You may not know it, but you are already capable of some things that a standard controller cannot achieve. The answer varies from culture to culture, pilot to pilot, but eventually you will realise what it really means to be Unbound."_

"I see," noted Karan, pondering the new insights _Koshiir Ra_ had provided.

"_Kiir is learning fast, and when he reaches your level of mastery, I too will disappear. So you see, your time for questions is limited."_

"I'll get straight to the point then. Can you help us win this war?"

"_The war? Against the Mythra, or the entity you call the Neo-Beast?"_

"Against both. Why, this Galaxy's being ripped asunder because of those two, and so many innocents have lost their lives…"

"_Your concerns are justified, but I cannot assist you."_

"Why? You are _Koshiir Ra_, you are the Guardian, your duty is to protect all existence!"

"_That is so, but the Guardian was never built to win a war."_

"_Koshiir Ra_, I beg you," Karan pleaded, "We have lost so much, and you are our last hope. Will you help us defeat the _Qwaar Jet_ and the Mythra?"

"_I cannot go beyond my means. All I can say is that the means to salvation is in your possession."_

"What do you mean?"

"_The Three Gods were not made equal. This is all I have to offer. Farewell."_

Karan thought of telling _Koshiir Ra_ to stay, but knew that she'd just be wasting her breath. The connection with her mind had faded away, and she was alone with the _Sajuuk_ once more.

"_Sajuuk_, if only you were still here, if only you could answer my questions…"

The ship remained silent, and Karan's questions unanswered.

* * *

**Onboard the _Ascension_, the Shining Hinterlands:**

"Hyperspace module disengaged, jump successful, we have arrived at the Shining Hinterlands," reported the NAV officer.

"Is the Progenitor fleet in pursuit?" General Tora asked, worried that his fleet may suffer the same fate.

"Sensors are not picking up anything, we're clear," the sensors officer declared.

"That's good to hear. What information do we have on this sector?"

"According to intelligence captured from the Turanic Raiders, this is a barren region of space with few resources. However, it is a strategically-important location in the Galaxy, being on the southern outskirts of the Hiigaran Control Zone," the NAV officer explained.

"Hiigaran space?" Tora muttered, "So the Hiigarans are a dominant power in the Galaxy now?"

"Going by the same reports, the status quo has changed. If the Raider intelligence is to be trusted, the Galaxy came under massive attack by a techno-organic organism recently, and Hiigara itself was destroyed."

"Hiigara was destroyed?" Tora was stunned, "The entire planet?"

"According to these reports, yes, the entire planet was completely obliterated."

"Then the Hiigarans we met back in Southern space were the survivors…" noted the general, "What options do we have now?"

"We can only move ahead or towards the east. The west is obstructed by the Galactic Core, so hyperspace transit in that direction is impossible. Either we advance towards the centre of Hiigaran space, or we head east towards the Vaygr Reaches."

General Tora considered the choices that lay before him. Moving towards Hiigara could take them towards that deadly virus, which was probably responsible for the strange behaviour of the Keeper at Elor. Heading east could very well pit the fleet against the might of the Vaygr, which according to the Raiders, was not to be trifled with. They would have their revenge in the end, however, but the fleet wasn't ready just yet.

"General? Your orders?"

"Take us west," Tora replied, his gaze unmoving.

"West? Sir…"

"I know we can't jump through, but we have to stay low, and what better way to do so by hiding ourselves in the Galactic Core emissions?"

"I understand, but the Raider starcharts on the Core regions are very sketchy. Even if we plotted a conservative course, there's no telling if we'd get ensnared by a gravwell…"

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Tora stated flatly, "There's no way we'd stand up to that thing, especially with its infection capability. Assemble the fleet for hyperspace."

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Northern Outer Rim:**

Kiir watched expectantly as the last support beam was bolted down in place. Several engineers looked over the entire structure worriedly, wondering if they had forgotten anything. Only after several minutes' inspection were the engineers satisfied with their work.

The Grand Core was massive and took up every bit of space there was in the _Koshiir Ra_ Core Containment Section. In fact, it fitted so snugly the engineers could have sworn the Core was built with the _Koshiir Ra_ in mind.

Kiir walked up to the Grand Core, seduced by the beauty of its design. A perfectly symmetrical radial structure with several concentric circles etched on its metallic surface, shrinking down to the quantum focus at the centre, held securely by the bulky borders of the containment unit. It was hard to imagine how it possessed power exceeding the Three combined.

"I should challenge Karan to a race when this is all over," Kiir chuckled softly to himself, "I could win myself a few bets at the same time."

Kiir raised his hand to use his wrist communicator. It was time for the test.

"Admiral Eefrit, the Grand Core is secure. You may begin the test at any time."

"Got it, thanks Kiir. You might want to leave now, I'm initiating power-up sequence."

Kiir was already stepping out of the containment section, the thick bulkhead doors closing shut behind him. Even through the soundproof doors, he could hear the soft hum of pure energy building up behind him.

"How's it, Eefrit?" Kiir asked worriedly, knowing it would not be a good idea to blow up the _Koshiir Ra_ with a Core that was not properly installed.

"… All systems green, Kiir. The Grand Core is safely linked to the ship's power grid, everything's stable."

The scientist let loose a whoop of joy at Eefrit's report. Now they would be able to amplify the power of _Koshiir Ra_'s shields using the Grand Core. The possibilities were endless…

… Unless the shield amplification was not enough. Doubts began creeping into Kiir's mind as he recalled the sensor readings he had seen at Nalthora. An artificial singularity with so much potential energy that _Koshiir Ra_'s sensors could barely measure it. The Grand Core's quantum tappers indeed produced a tremendous amount of energy, but it was ultimately a finite source. Versus the infinite energy of a black hole…

"Kiir? You alright there?" Eefrit asked, taken aback by Kiir's silence.

"I'm fine," Kiir reassured, "I'll be heading back right now to link up. Thanks for your help, Eefrit."

"No problem. Guess I'd better get back to the _Pride_ in preparation for the jump."

"Indeed. I'll be seeing you around!"

The wrist communicator cut out as Kiir made his way back to the bridge slowly.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"That's strange, the communications array shouldn't be using so much power," Admiral Ecron muttered to himself as he re-checked the readings once more, "Ecron to Engineering, can you confirm my readings on the communications array?"

"Engineering here, communications array is operating at 85 percentpower, it corresponds with your data sir."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the array supposed to be using around 30 percentinstead?" Ecron asked, puzzled by what the screens were telling him, "Unless expanding the network to include Hiigaran communications is causing the thing to spike…"

"Not possible, Admiral. Even if we were to expand the network further, the energy increase would not exceed 10. We should still be operating in the range of 40 percent. It's probably a circuit fault of some sort, we'll look into it ASAP."

"Please do. We can't have the array shorting out on us during battle."

"Roger that, Admiral. Engineering out."

Ecron looked back at the energy readings, which stayed stubbornly above 80 percent. He pondered the matter for a moment before turning to consult the communications officer.

"Is there anyone transmitting long range right now?" Ecron asked, "That could be the reason for the spike, couldn't it?"

"Sir, no one's using long range transmissions at this moment in time," came the reply, "Even if there were, the array would not go beyond 60 percent. It's probably a technical glitch."

"I see, thanks," Ecron responded as he turned back to face his screen. He scowled at the figures that continued to elude his understanding.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Northern Outer Rim:**

The bridge doors slid open and Eefrit strolled in, marvelling at the extensive overhaul the engineers had completed in such a short time. The _Pride_ had, in a matter of hours, been transformed from auxiliary shipyard to full-fledged flagship.

"Incredible work, it's heartening to see we've got such an excellent team of engineers working for us," Eefrit commented, observing sensor readings being displayed on a viewscreen.

"Indeed, I was doubtful at first as to whether we could jump by today," Yuno replied, shimmering into view on her projector, "I too, didn't expect them to finish everything so quickly."

"Well now, let's go over the plan again," Eefrit said, bringing up a tactical screen of the Galaxy, "So we jump to the outskirts of the Fields of Plaz to harvest resources and refit the fleet?"

"To be exact, I have identified a nebula within striking range of the station," Yuno mentioned, "We can jump in under the nebula's cover, and mount a surprise offensive while we're retrofitting the fleet. Since we can maintain supply lines to the frontline from the nebula, we'd have a much higher chance at capturing the War Moon."

"What about the Gravity Core I was told about?"

"Ecron's report says that keeping the Core operational consumes a tremendous amount of energy, so it's likely for the Core to be powered down. Since it's a surprise attack, they'll have to power up the Core and then charge it before they can use it against us. The power up sequence takes about five minutes, and the charging another five, giving us 10 minutes to neutralise the stationed fleet."

"10 minutes? That's cutting it a little close, isn't it?" Eefrit commented.

"It should be more than adequate," Yuno reassured, "In the worst-case scenario, if they do get to use the Gravity Core, we have another five minutes before they can use it again. Besides, _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field ought to protect us from harm."

"Well, I hope you're right about _Koshiir Ra_," Eefrit muttered worriedly, "Is Kiir ready?"

"I've told the fleet that we'll be jumping in a few minutes. Kiir ought to be coming in anytime now…"

As if on cue, the communications channel buzzed into life.

"Kiir here, coordinates have been transmitted to the Grand Core, we may jump at any time."

"Good, stand by for jump anytime now. The Core is operating fine, right?"

"I've done whatever checks I could from here, the rest we'll only know once we enter hyperspace. Don't worry, Karan will monitor the quantum waveform from the _Sajuuk_. Should the Grand Core malfunction, she'll immediately sustain the jump with the Three Cores."

"Excellent. Eefrit?"

"_Pride_ crews reporting in, we're ready."

"Alright then. Yuno to fleet, stand by for hyperspace transition to the Fields of Plaz."

The _Koshiir Ra_ glowed dimly as it brimmed with quantum energy, a loud hum resonating through the fleet as the quantum wavefronts prepared to open before every ship there was.

"Yuno to T-MAT fleet, you won't be following?"

_"We will go our separate ways, but we shall return when the time is right."_

"Very well, good luck to you."

_"And you too, Custodians."_

The resonating hum peaked as the hyperspace windows sprang open, consuming the entire fleet as the paper-thin wavefronts swept through the ships.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, hyperspace transit:**

"Admiral, we are travelling through hyperspace at 35 000 000 c, we will arrive at the Fields in approximately 3 minutes' time."

"That's definitely not the Grand Core's maximum capacity," noted Ecron, "They're being very cautious it seems?"

"Naturally so, they've only just installed the Core on the _Koshiir Ra_."

"I see," Ecron acknowledged as he checked the _Merciless_' system reports once more. Unexpectedly, he saw that the communications array was still not fixed.

"Great," Ecron muttered as he opened a channel to Engineering, "Engineering, I thought you've fixed the communications array?"

"Sir, we ran a series of checks on the array and its circuitry. We found nothing, no electrical leaks, no malfunctions, nothing."

"Nothing? Then why is the array still operating beyond 80 percentwhen no one's doing any sort of communication around here…"

A horrifying thought hit Ecron. He recalled his technical training about innate ship systems, that communications systems sucked up a lot of power when transmitting long range phased telemetric signals. Such signals could not be picked up even with advanced proximity sensors if they were configured in a new method discovered by Imperial scientists, and _Merciless_ was specifically built to use the new phased telemetric system.

Tapping a few buttons, Ecron accessed the _Merciless_' communications system. Sure enough, the computer told him no one was using phased telemetry at the moment. Unless…

He attempted to shut down the array temporarily, but the message that came next confirmed his worst fears.

_"Unable to comply. Proper authorisation required."_

"Damn it!" Ecron yelled in frustration, "People, we've been compromised! There's an insider beaming critical information to the War Moon fleet! Communications, get a message to the Hiigarans right now! Security, scour every computer access point for the hacker!"

The response was quick and efficient. Within moments, klaxons were wailing as the _Merciless_ went into emergency lockdown mode. Security teams flooded the corridors, searching for the traitorous officer.

"Sir," the communications officer exclaimed frantically, "We've been locked out of the communications systems! We can't get a message through to the _Pride_!"

"I don't care if we've been locked out," Ecron spat back, "We need to stop this jump right now!"

"Admiral, sensors indicate we will be exiting hyperspace in 30 seconds," reported the NAV officer.

"Sajuuk damn it!" Ecron cried as he brought his fists down angrily, smashing his console to bits, "They're going to be prepared for us right now…"

"Admiral, this is security team Epsilon, we have apprehended the hacker, attempting to restore communications…"

"I want communications back NOW! Helm, how much time?"

"15 seconds."

"Epsilon team!"

"We're working on it sir, we need more time…"

"That is something we do not have at the moment," Ecron blasted back, gazing nervously at the countdown timer. The seconds were ticking by furiously…

"… We've got it, communications restored!"

"Thank the Maker," Ecron uttered, "Admiral Ecron to Kiir Sjet, do you read?"

"Sir, we're exiting hyperspace!"

"DAMN IT!" Ecron yelled as he watched the viewscreens flicker at the transition to realspace. Moments later, the inky black void of normal space was before them. A massive shudder gripped the _Merciless_ almost instantly.

"Admiral, we are under attack by the War Moon fleet!"

"Ecron to all ships, fire at will!" Ecron yelled urgently. His fleet responded immediately, returning fire. Seconds later, the Hiigaran fleet opened fire as well to cover the rest of the fleet which was still emerging from hyperspace.

"Emergency alert! Admiral, sensors are picking up an energy spike from the War Moon!" cried the sensors officer.

"What? Get us a lock on that…"

The bridge dropped a few metres as the _Merciless_ was hit by a mighty shockwave. Consoles sparked and several officers were thrown against the bulkheads. Ecron was barely able to maintain his footing, gripping a chair tightly.

"Damage report!"

"Some internal feedback damage, we weren't hit…" came the reply.

"Then who was?"

The officer tapped away at his console furiously, then stared agape at what he saw. A glare from Ecron told him to transfer the image to every viewscreen there was on the bridge.

Ecron stared as the viewscreens flickered into focus, and was horrified by the sight before him.

The proud Hiigaran command ship _Faal Corum_ was now a mangled, burning wreck in space.


	33. Rewind

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 33: REWIND

* * *

**

"_Behold, the Iron Grip. With this new weapon, we will complete the Genocide once and for all."_

_Imperial Taiidan archives

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

_"Faal Corum_, do you read! Commander Eeraac, please come in!"

Yuno's desperate attempts to establish communications were met with silence. The plan had been going so well just moments ago. Then they had exited hyperspace and met the full force of a prepared War Moon fleet.

"By the Gods, _Faal Corum_, please come in! _Faal Corum_…"

"It's no use, Yuno," Eefrit spoke in a pained whisper, "_Faal Corum_ is gone."

Yuno was on the verge of breaking down. _Faal Corum_ was manned by thousands of Hiigarans, and home to the best astronavigational teams Hiigara had ever known. It had fought valiantly alongside the _Kuun Lan_ since time immemorial, and now…

"… I don't understand… how could they have known… _Faal Corum_…"

"Yuno, pull yourself together, we've still got a battle to win here," Eefrit urged, feeling the _Pride_ shake under the Taiidan onslaught.

There was no response.

"Yuno, please," Eefrit pleaded as he saw Yuno's hologram begin to flicker and fade, "Yuno, no!"

But it was too late. Yuno vanished from view and the command system shut down, throwing the fleet into chaos.

"Admiral, the fleet is reporting errors in the command registries! They can't recognise the _Pride_ as the flagship any more!" an officer cried.

"By Sajuuk, Yuno, we need you! We need you now! Now is not the time to be doing this!" Eefrit yelled at the empty projector, "We need you back right now or this battle is lost!"

"Don't worry Eefrit, I'll take over," Karan's voice came in, "Karan to fleet, reroute command functions to the _Sajuuk_. The _Sajuuk_ is now the flagship."

"Karan!" Eefrit exclaimed, "I don't know what's gotten over Yuno, she just…"

"She's probably blaming herself for the loss. I should know, I felt this way too when we lost a ship for the first time during the Homeworld War," Karan explained sadly, "We will mourn the _Faal Corum _another day. For now, we've only got five minutes before the War Moon uses the Gravity Core again. We need to work fast…"

"Admiral, we're picking up an incoming transmission from the War Moon!"

"Patch it through," Ecron snapped. A connection was quickly established.

"This is the Imperial Taiidan Battlestation _Iron Grip_. Filthy Hiigarans, we find it hard to comprehend how you managed to persuade the majority of the fleet to defect to your side. But that does not matter anyway. As we have demonstrated, the _Iron Grip_ is more than a match for both fleets combined. Not even the _Sajuuk_ can do a thing, for all we need do is press a button and…"

"Imperial fleet, we have our reasons for wanting your station," Karan interrupted, "The Galaxy and all that exist within it is under threat by the Neo-Beast and the ancient race known as the Mythra…"

"I'm sorry, Karan," the voice returned sarcastically, "That nonsense isn't going to work on us, so save your breath. Our terms are simple: hand over the _Merciless_ and all Progenitor technology you have in your possession, and we will… delay the genocide for a few years."

"You know we can't do that," Karan responded.

"Then we'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way, Karan. Do you know how it feels like to have…"

"That's enough," Eefrit spoke, cutting the transmission, "Karan, they were trying to buy time. We've only got four minutes left."

"Don't worry, Kiir is powering up the distortion field. It should be coming online about now…"

The shudders ceased as the _Koshiir Ra_ projected its extensive field of protection around the Alliance fleet. Now the Imperial forces couldn't touch them.

"Eefrit, _Sajuuk_ may be the flagship now, but I'll leave fleet coordination to you. Is that fine?"

"No problem, Karan, I'll do what I can."

Karan cut the channel, and Eefrit turned to face the battlefield.

"Let's show these Imperials what we're made of! For _Faal Corum_!" he hollered.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Fields of Plaz:**

Karan regarded the wreckage of the _Faal Corum_ with tears in her eyes. She had not expected the _Iron Grip_'s gravity weapon to be this powerful. If the Imperials had attacked Hiigara with the battlestation, there was no doubt that _Sajuuk_ would have fallen along with the planet.

But now that _Koshiir Ra_ was providing cover, the Imperials stood no chance.

Karan shut her eyes and focused fiercely on the task at hand. The _Sajuuk_ obeyed and plunged forward into the _Iron Grip_'s defence fleet like a dagger, point defence systems blazing. The Imperials returned fire, but their weapons were rendered useless by the _Sajuuk_'s energy shielding.

It was a magnificent sight to behold. The _Sajuuk_ manoeuvred deftly around the Imperial super capital ships, pumping fire into the enemy vessels that were struggling to get the Progenitor ship into their firing arcs. In a bid to avoid even more enemy fire, Karan would blink the _Sajuuk_ in and out of hyperspace, taking the ship to where it was most needed.

In this manner, Karan took the _Sajuuk_ deeper and deeper into the Imperial fleet. She didn't see a need to use the Phased Cannon Array at all, until…

… The _Sajuuk_ rocked violently as it was raked by the heavy ion cannons of the _Iron Grip_. The shields held, but the salvo was more than enough warning that _Iron Grip_ was no pushover.

Karan to fleet, _Sajuuk_ is within firing range of the _Iron Grip_. I will attempt to distract the defence forces while the marines are sent in. Please provide suppressing fire as best as you can!

A collection of voices acknowledged the order in unison, and the _Sajuuk_ was surrounded by flashes and bolts of fire raining away from the Alliance fleet. As the Imperial carriers were pounded by the onslaught, the Imperial forces began to break away to defend the rear and deal with the _Sajuuk_.

Another salvo of ion beams slammed into the _Sajuuk_, throwing the ship off centre slightly. Whatever those ion cannons were, they were definitely more powerful than the battlecruiser-class ions.

"Karan, are you all right?" Kiir's voice came in, "I saw the _Sajuuk_ take a pretty bad beating, you sure you don't require a localised distortion field?"

"Don't worry Kiir, the _Sajuuk_'s shields are holding fine," Karan replied, "Just keep those fields around the Alliance fleet."

"You know we have the additional shield power to do so… but never mind. Just a reminder, you've got two more minutes, so be prepared to scram when they're fully charged!"

"Got it Kiir, Karan out."

The transmission ended and Karan returned to the task at hand. Everything was going according to plan – the Imperials were so intent on crippling the _Sajuuk_ that they now completely ignored the Alliance fleet. Marine frigates were now rushing in without risk of being fired at.

Now the Imperials' rear support, their carriers, were succumbing to the combined attack of the _Sajuuk_ and the Alliance fleet, which now moved in to provide cover for the Marines and the _Sajuuk_. Hiigaran vessels clustered in and around the Imperial formations, turning the battlefield into one gigantic mess. Karan was pleased at this tactical deployment.

"Karan to Admiral Eefrit, that's some nice strategising you've got going there!" Karan complimented.

"Thanks Karan, now the Imperials can't use their gravity weapon without endangering their own ships too."

"That's good to hear. Just remember to keep the carriers and command vessels in the rear, there's no telling if…"

A sudden energy spike caught Karan's attention. Checking the _Sajuuk_'s sensors, she was stunned to see the _Iron Grip_ powering up for another attack. Eefrit noticed the approaching calamity as well.

"No way! Karan, they're going to use the weapon! Get out…" Eefrit trailed off.

The connection was lost as the _Sajuuk_ was halted unceremoniously by a powerful gravitational field. Karan diverted more power to the drives, but the _Sajuuk_ still could not break free. Alarms went off as the shields struggled to protect the ship from the sheer gravitational stress. Karan knew she was trapped – there was no way she could jump the _Sajuuk_ away in time. She sighed and braced herself as the shields began to fail…

The _Sajuuk_ rocked violently as another external force gripped it in a bid to free it from the field. Karan checked the sensors once more and saw the space surrounding the ship rippling vigorously in protest. Kiir had put up a localised field around the _Sajuuk_, and now it was the _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field against the _Iron Grip_'s gravitational field.

"Karan, this is Kiir. Jump now!" Kiir spoke urgently, "The space time disruption is becoming too dangerous!"

Karan didn't need to be told twice. A mental thought told the Three Cores to pump every ounce of power they had into getting the _Sajuuk_ away from the trap. Moments after the _Sajuuk_ vanished into hyperspace, the region of space where the _Sajuuk_ once was exploded in a shockwave of space and time.

As the _Sajuuk_ emerged from hyperspace some distance away, Karan was amazed to see the result of the duel of fields. The fabric of space and time and been ripped asunder, and a large slipgate now shimmered brilliantly in the middle of the battlefield.

"Now that's something you don't get to see every day," Karan commented as she began targeting all sensors on the slipgate, "Kiir, you analysing the gate too?"

"I am, but remember we're still in a battle, so I may not have the resources for a complete scan."

"No problem. Hand the scans over to the _Legacy_, I think they can do it just as well from the rear."

It was then that alerts began to come from every sensor there was on the _Sajuuk_. The slipgate was apparently starting to build up a gravitational well of its own, and it was getting stronger with each passing moment. Already, several Imperial strike craft that had flown too close were getting sucked in by the unrelenting force.

"By Kharak, that slipgate is becoming unstable!" Karan cried, "Kiir, we must abort the mission immediately. Take us all to hyperspace!"

"No problem. Kiir to fleet, stand by for emergency hyperspace jump!"

Karan saw the hyperspace windows opening before every ship in the Alliance fleet. To her shock, the windows were immediately dragged away from the ships into the slipgate as streams of quantum energies. Instinctively, she powered up the Three Cores to assist the Grand Core, with the result that the additional hyperspace windows were sucked in as well.

"By Sajuuk, Karan, that slipgate is stealing all our quantum power! The Grand Core can't take us out!"

"The Three Cores are no good either, Kiir," Karan replied grimly, "Looks like we'll have to distance ourselves on conventional drives."

"That doesn't look like a viable option to me, Karan. If the sensors are to be trusted, the gravitational field will overwhelm even our conventional drives in…"

The _Sajuuk_ shuddered violently as it lurched towards the slipgate. Karan was alarmed – for some reason, the slipgate was having a greater influence on the _Sajuuk_ than the other ships. A few emergency scans confirmed the worst.

"Kiir, the slipgate probably has a greater pull on ships equipped with a hyperspace module. _Sajuuk_'s getting drawn in first because the Three Cores are generating more quantum energy than standard hyperspace modules."

"Whatever, you need to get off the _Sajuuk_ right now Karan! At the rate you're going, the ship'll hit the slipgate in two minutes!"

"No, it's too late for me," Karan replied, "Kiir, you need to get the _Koshiir Ra_ and Grand Core away from here while you can, the pull on the rest of the fleet should have weakened now that the slipgate's got the _Sajuuk_."

"No way, Karan!" Kiir protested, "You're the leader of the Hiigaran people, there's no way we can jussttttt…"

The transmission broke up as the quantum energies began swirling around the _Sajuuk_, preventing any form of communication between the fleet and the trapped ship. Karan sighed and gazed at the view ahead.

The slipgate loomed in the distance, growing quickly as the _Sajuuk_ accelerated towards it. Karan made an attempt to alter course by diverting every ounce of excess power there was to the main drives, but there was no escaping the field.

"_Karan."_

The voice came in suddenly again, but Karan was not surprised this time.

"Koshiir Ra? It looks like it's the end for me and the _Sajuuk_."

"_It is not the end. Rather, it is the start of a journey, and I will accompany you temporarily in this odyssey."_

"Journey? What do you mean?"

"_I will make a few adjustments to the Sajuuk's Cores. You may pick up some anomalous readings, but do not be unduly worried."_

Karan had no time to respond, for the slipgate was upon the legendary ship. Everything flared a brilliant blue as the _Sajuuk_'s prow plunged into the portal, dazzling the entire battlefield in a display of lights.

"_This is our story."

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Fields of Plaz:**

"You're the leader of the Hiigaran people, there's no way we can just leave you!"

Kiir swore when the computer beeped back at him, indicating that the transmission had been interrupted. He tried to save the _Sajuuk_ by willing the _Koshir Ra_'s field to drag the ship back, but to no avail. There was no way a stable distortion field could be sustained in the vicinity of such an unstable slipgate.

He could only watch helplessly as the _Sajuuk_ plunged head-first into the portal, which lit up the entire battlefield as it swallowed its victim. For a few seconds, there was nothing on the battlefield but the blue light. Then it all dissipated as quickly as it had come, the slipgate flaring back to normal brightness as the space battle continued around it.

Kiir tore the neurohelmet off his head and rushed to the viewscreen, staring at the shimmering slipgate. Its gravitational pull had ceased, and the fleet was no longer in danger. However…

"Karan…" Kiir uttered.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_:**

The sensors could not understand what was going on, and neither could Karan. It had been a full minute since the ship had entered the slipgate, and there were no signs of their journey ending anytime soon. The Voice of Koshiir Ra had since vanished, leaving Karan more puzzled than she ever was.

"Karan to Engineering, what's going on with the Hyperspace Cores?" Karan enquired, "Standard diagnostics can't seem to identify the problem."

"Sorry Karan, but we're stumped too," came the reply, "It seems like the Cores have added another quantum waveform frequency to the slipgate's waveform. They are showing no signs of shutting down, even though we've cut off all power."

"I see. Well, do what you can to deactivate the Cores. Abandoning the fleet in the middle of battle is definitely not good for morale."

"We'll do our best. Engineering out."

Karan returned her attention to the view before her. It was exactly the scene one saw during hyperspace transit – blue streaks of light shooting past the ship in elongated lines. But she could definitely feel something different about this particular jump.

"Koshiir Ra, what are you doing?" Karan asked aloud.

As if to answer her question, the _Sajuuk_ fell out of hyperspace abruptly. Vibrations reverberated through the superstructure as the inertial dampers struggled to compensate for the sudden reversion to realspace.

Karan heaved a sigh of relief as the inertial dampers got a foothold and the _Sajuuk_ ceased to shudder. Then she was promptly alarmed once more when the ship began shaking violently again. As the visual sensors finally locked on, Karan was surprised to see a fleet of ships firing on them.

They were all of Progenitor design.

Another impact brought Karan back to her senses. She remembered to raise the shields before the attacks could do any more damage.

"Koshiir Ra! What is going on?" Karan cried, hoping for some miracle now.

"_Welcome to the past, Karan. This is where it ended and began – the Battle of Karos."_

"The Battle of Karos!" Karan was dumbfounded, "I don't understand, how could we have travelled…"

"_Only with an unstable slipgate is this procedure possible,"_ Koshiir Ra replied, _"An unstable slipgate has no fixed exit point, making it possible to influence the slipgate with external waveform events. All I did was use the Three Cores to make this a reality."_

"Then how are we supposed to get back!"

"_Do not let that bother you for the moment. Right now, it would be advisable to jump a safe distance away and observe the battle from afar."_

Karan wasted no time taking Koshiir Ra's advice. In a matter of moments, she programmed the Three Cores to make an emergency jump to a fresh debris field some light years away. The Rebel squadron didn't appear to have tracked them, for they continued scouting the immediate vicinity on conventional drives.

"The debris field ought to hide us for a while," Karan commented, "Now why did you bring me here?"

"_To show you how the Elders won this battle and were hence victorious in the War. The key to your Salvation is the same as theirs."_

Karan powered up the long range sensors and was treated to an awesome sight. Tens of thousands of Progenitor frigates, Keepers and battlecruisers clashed in titanic fights to the finish. So many ion beams and phased beams slashed through space that the _Sajuuk_'s sensors registered a substantial increase in the ambient temperature of space around the warring fleets. For every ship, Elder or Rebel, that met its end, a dozen swarmed forward to take its place.

"And that's only one flank…" Karan whispered, awe-struck beyond measure.

It was truly a battle to end all battles. The conflict stretched across the entire region of what Karan knew as the Karos Graveyard, which extended for hundreds of light years in nearly every direction. There were just so many ships, enough such that there would be a significant battle taking place every light year or so.

For the battle raging at the centre, there was no comparison. Karan had always wondered what could have been responsible for the massive hulks and derelicts that were found in the core of the Karos Graveyard. Some of the hulks were so large that they made mothership-class vessels look like strike craft alongside them. Now she knew.

Karan saw megaliths moving slowly among the smaller, faster mothership and battlecruiser-class vessels. Some were just slightly larger than the _Pride of Hiigara_, and some dwarfed even Balcora Gate. All were brimming with the most horrible weapons of destruction Karan could imagine.

The Phased Cannon weapons that Karan regarded as the most destructive forces in the known Galaxy were like mass drivers to the Progenitor forces. There were many more weapons that packed a punch far exceeding even the _Gatekeeper_'s Phased Cannon Array. Some were focused energy weapons, others were missile weapons. All resulted in massive explosions that cleansed entire fleets.

"_Do not worry. Those weapons could only be found on the megalith battleships. None of those ships, or their weapons, survived the battle."_

"That is good to hear," Karan uttered, "Heaven knows what our enemies could do with such devices…"

The battle raged on, and it soon became evident that the final showdown was going to take place. Karan stretched the _Sajuuk_'s sensors to their limits, zooming in on the two massive fleets gathered in the very centre. One had the _Sajuuk_ at the lead, and the other…

"… That is the _Oblivion_!" Karan cried, "The _Qwaar Jet_! The ship with the power to destroy planets!"

"_It was the most powerful weapon ever devised by our civilisation, planet destruction was not its true purpose."_

"Then what was?" Karan asked, afraid of the answer.

"_It was predicted that the Qwaar Jet, at full power, can wipe out entire star systems with its singularity generator."_

"By the Gods…" Karan murmured, deciding to look back at the battle once more. Now the fleets were pumping whatever they had into each other, and explosions were nearly blinding the long range sensors.

The two ships remained motionless – the _Sajuuk_ and _Oblivion_ holding position in some interstellar standoff. Around the two ships, the fierce battle continued. There were mothership-class assault ships in their death throes, and megaliths burning brilliantly under the firestorm.

Then the Rebels, in a desperate attempt to turn the tables, used their trump card. The _Oblivion_ advanced on the Elders' forces, which cowered from the mighty vessel. The Elders knew that the _Oblivion_ could win the battle for the Rebels, even if they were outnumbered and at a strategic disadvantage.

Memories began flashing back as Karan saw the _Oblivion_ bloom in space. Images of Hiigara shattering flashed into her mind, and she groaned from the psychological torment. To her gratitude, Koshiir Ra intervened, calming her nerves and stopping the images.

_Sajuuk_ advanced as well, unafraid of the threat _Oblivion_ was posing to their entire campaign. The brilliant blue energies were already building at the front of the _Oblivion_. Anytime now, the energies would burst forth…

… And burst forth they did in a shockwave whose magnitude was far greater than what was used in the destruction of Hiigara. The mighty wave would wipe out every last ship in the Elder fleet. There was no time to evade, no time to hyperspace…

_Sajuuk_ stopped moving and glowed a brilliant vermillion, the fabric of space and time rippling around it as it pulled and bent space to its advantage. When the shockwave hit, the unimaginable happened. The wave stopped as though it had hit some invisible barrier, before curving around in a reflected attack on the Rebel fleet. _Oblivion_ was scarcely able to put up an emergency distortion field before the shockwave hit.

Karan could not believe what she had just seen. How could the Three Cores alone possess that much power?

"_The key lies not in the Cores themselves, but the Cores together,"_ Koshiir Ra explained, _"Do not be deceived by the power of the Grand Core – the Power of Three shall always exceed the power of One."_

"But we've done extensive research on the _Sajuuk_ and the Three Cores!" Karan rebutted, "It's well-known now that synchronising the Three Cores doesn't even come close to the Grand Core!"

"_There is more to the Three Cores than synchronising them. Having the Three Cores operate as One takes more than mere synchronisation. In this case, Sajuuk himself was orchestrating the Three."_

"Sajuuk?"

"_Sajuuk was the master Progenitor who devised the Far Jumper. He was the one who devised the Sajuuk-class warship, laying the path for the future Qwaar Jet and Koshiir Ra models to be built. His discoveries brought many advances to Progenitor technology. He was also the only true Unbound in the Progenitor race."_

"Unbound?"

"_Sajuuk was truly one with his ship. He was thus able to use the Sajuuk warship to its fullest potential, wielding the Cores like a master swordman wielding his blade. It was he who led the Elders to victory in the Battle of Karos."_

Karan was silent now, her mind trying to absorb all the new information Koshiir Ra had thrown at her. The great Battle of Karos, the true potential of _Sajuuk_, and the Progenitor Sajuuk himself…

"_We have remained here long enough. We must return lest we disrupt the timeline. The consequences would be disastrous if we did."_

Karan felt Koshiir Ra take over the ship, jumping the _Sajuuk_ to where they had first entered the past. The Rebel fleet was still there, but they were fleeing now that the war was lost. She felt the Three Cores focusing their power into a single point in space, amplifying a spatial anomaly that Karan could barely feel.

The slipgate flared open, and the _Sajuuk_ plunged back through the hole, back to its own time…

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Admiral, our forces are gaining the upper hand," reported the sensors officer, "The Imperials are falling back, and some are escaping to hyperspace. Our marines have already disabled the _Iron Grip_'s Gravity Core."

"That's one less thing to worry about now," Eefrit noted, "Eefrit to all ships, let's push through! We may have lost Karan and the _Sajuuk_, but we must win this battle to avenge them!"

Eefrit's words roused every Hiigaran in the fleet, and the channels erupted with roars of fury and determination. The Hiigaran fleet leapt forward, weapons blazing, while the Taiidan allies mopped up the rear. The _Pride _itself maintained position at the centre of the advancing Hiigaran fleet, protected from harm by _Koshiir Ra_'s field.

Then, most unexpectedly, the slipgate flared up in a burst of activity once more.

"Sir, the slipgate has become active! Something's coming through!"

"Don't be too worried about the slipgate," commanded Eefrit, "If it's hostile, we'll deal with it in due time. All ships maintain safe distance from the slipgate!"

"Sensors are getting a lock… Admiral, it's the _Sajuuk_!"

"What!"

Eefrit glanced at the viewscreen, and saw the godly vessel exit in a flash of light. As the _Sajuuk_ glided away from the slipgate, the portal of hyperspace began to flicker and fade, vanishing into the blackness of realspace.

"By Kharak, it's a miracle," Eefrit uttered.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Fields of Plaz:**

"_We have returned, Karan, and I must depart."_

"Will we meet again?" Karan asked, still amazed by what Koshiir Ra had just shown her.

"_I'm afraid we will not, Chosen of Sajuuk. Kiir's mastery of the Koshiir Ra has improved tremendously, and his contribution in this battle is proof of that."_

"Wait, please don't tell me you're going to…"

"_It is inevitable, and I will now follow the lead of Sajuuk."_

"But Koshiir Ra, there is still so much I have to learn! Please stay!"

"_There is nothing more I can show you, you have seen the full extent of my databanks. The rest is up to you, Chosen of Sajuuk."_

"Koshiir Ra…"

"_The journey to being Unbound is long and arduous, but you will reach the end of the journey soon enough. When that time comes, you will guide Kiir as I have guided you."_

"… Thank you, Koshiir Ra."

"_It was my duty, Chosen of Sajuuk. Well may you prosper, Karan. Farewell."_

And the Voice vanished for the last time.


	34. Zugzwang

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 34: ZUGZWANG

* * *

**

"_This is your Destiny."_

_Final words of Bentus

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Iron Grip_, Fields of Plaz:**

Admiral Eefrit sat down on the command chair of the battlestation for the first time. He didn't know which was worse – the space battle or the fight to gain control of the _Iron Grip_. While space superiority had come at a heavy price – the loss of the _Faal Corum_ with all hands onboard, the Imperial Taiidani guards had defended the _Iron Grip_ with great rigour, bringing down no less than six frigates' worth of marines.

As for Yuno, she had retreated to the deepest sections of the _Pride_'s computer systems. No number of hails could bring her back, so they had no choice but to get Kiir to go in for her.

That was 15 minutes ago, and according to Kiir's last update, he had yet to locate her.

"Admiral, we've cracked the computer security," a technician said, "We've got control of the _Iron Grip_ now."

"Good job, now I need your team to gather whatever information there is on the _Iron Grip_ and its capabilities. I want it done as quickly as possible," Eefrit ordered.

"No problem sir," replied the technician as he went back to work with his team.

Well, at least they had one big battlestation on their side now.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

If there was one thing Kiir hated about the _Pride _right now, it was the fact that the new mothership's databanks were colossal in size as compared with the _Legacy_. This meant more data from interstellar encounters and battles could be stored. A side effect would be the near-impossible task of finding a piece of data with no ID.

Artificial consciousnesses fell under that category. There was no way for programmers to attach an ID to a consciousness without risk of corrupting the consciousness itself. The result was that in an unlikely scenario of the consciousness hiding itself, it would take considerable time and processing power to locate the consciousness by manual searching.

That theory didn't stop Kiir from summoning up an automatic search program to do the searching for him. As predicted by theory, the program could not comply due to the lack of a digital ID.

"Oh Yuno, you just have to make things so difficult for me," Kiir muttered under his breath, "So that's 870 terabytes down, and over a hundred exabytes to go…"

Kiir made his way into the battle reports section. This was probably the worst databank to be searching in. Featuring battle reports from every ship in the ship from every battle, there was so much information that Hiigaran Intelligence had only managed to analyse a tiny fraction of the lot so far.

Piles of datablocks assaulted his senses. The whole place resembled a megalith's hangar bay that hadn't been cleared out for decades. Nooks and crannies were abound in the place, so Yuno could be hiding anywhere amongst the mountains of data.

"That's just great," Kiir sighed, "Eefrit, this is going to take forever."

"Sorry Kiir, but you're the only person other than Karan who is able to achieve a complete virtual immersion. Besides, we can't let the _Sajuuk_ be the flagship forever, the _Pride_ was specifically designed for this purpose."

"All right, all right, just don't let me do this ever again," Kiir replied in a gruff tone. Eefrit took the hint and ended the conversation.

He picked one nice data pile that towered over him like a small house. He would start looking in that.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Fields of Plaz:**

Karan kept thinking back to what _Koshiir Ra_ had shown her. Whatever war they were facing now could not compare with the Battle of Karos the Progenitors had fought. But they both had similar outcomes.

It was either victory or total defeat.

She pondered Koshiir Ra's parting words, that _Sajuuk_ was the key to their salvation, that the Three Cores possessed more power than anything else in Progenitor history. If she could somehow tap into that power like Sajuuk himself did…

Karan closed her eyes and saw a vision flash momentarily before her. It was a terrible vision, and it shook her to her very core.

Such visions were a side effect of being a Core user. Most of them were about insignificant events like whether she was going to break a vase or something. The only other time she had had such a bad vision was when she saw the unearthing of the Third Core and the approach of Makaan.

This time, it was definitely much worse.

She saw the _Qwaar Jet_ and a massive fleet behind it, a fleet comprising of ships from many cultures, many races, many systems. The Alliance fleet stood before the Neo-Beast, determined to stop the madness once and for all…

… The _Pride of Hiigara_ exploded under the attack, as did the fleet escorting it. They were badly outnumbered. _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field simply crumbled under the massive attack.

And then, the _Sajuuk_'s energy shields failed, and the ship was taken. She felt the crimson plague sweep over her, tearing her mind and soul apart, assimilating her into the Neo-Beast neural network…

The vision ended, but Karan was on the verge of tears from the experience. It didn't matter whether the Grand Core was in the _Koshiir Ra_ or not.

They were going to lose this war.

Koshiir Ra was right – the Guardian alone would not guarantee their victory. To defeat _Qwaar Jet_ and the Neo-Beast, they would need to use both _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ to their fullest potential.

It was all up to her now.

Karan groaned as she felt the burden weigh down on her shoulders.

* * *

**Onboard the _Gatekeeper of Sajuuk_, docked with the _Shipyard Naabal_:**

"Well Soban, we did what we could, we've got the plasma turret up and running," Elohim said as he walked towards the bridge with the intrepid captain.

"How much more time before the Phased Cannon Array is repaired?" Soban asked, hoping for some good news.

"Well, our engineers report severe feedback damage to many key array mechanisms. Getting it online may take longer than expected," Elohim replied, "It could very well take much more than the initial one-week estimation."

"Elohim, can't you make some temporary repairs so that we can use the cannon for a few times?"

"Temporary? Soban, the Phased Cannon Array is a dangerous weapon to use even in the best of circumstances!" Elohim reminded, "Remember the first time it was used? Nearly the whole ship got fried when the Array overloaded."

"I know, but the Neo-Beast would more than justify the risk," Soban argued, "All we need is to be able to use the Array at least twice, no, make that three times."

"You know it goes against fleet safety protocols?"

"Elohim, please."

Elohim paused, considering his options. He had to agree with Soban – a single plasma turret wasn't going to be very helpful when you're up against a _Sajuuk_-class warship. Compromising the safety of an entire crew also seemed insignificant against the possibility of losing the war.

He quietly came to a decision, and knew he would be in deep trouble if they found out.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

Kiir opened his eyes, completely fatigued from the experience. He had searched through no fewer than twenty data piles, each containing at least a few terabytes' worth of data. There were still many more to go, but he was too tired to maintain his consciousness in the virtual world.

Eefrit strode into the room worriedly, his face full of concern. Kiir had told him he couldn't take it any more, and he had rushed over in a shuttle as quickly as he possibly could. When he saw the haggard Kiir Sjet slumped down in a chair, Eefrit quickly rushed forward to help the exhausted Hiigaran up.

"By Sajuuk, you're really beat," Eefrit commented, "You'd better get some rest. We'll just have to wait till Yuno's ready to show herself."

"It was awful, really awful," Kiir complained, "How long has it been since they did a defrag on that section?"

"I don't believe there has been time for software maintenance," Eefrit replied apologetically, "When Karan got the _Pride _back, there was barely time to get the ship ready for the battle, much less a full software maintenance run."

"Well, next time I'm not going into any place that's more than 50 percentfragmented…" Kiir muttered, his eyes struggling to stay open.

Eefrit laughed, then helped Kiir into a bunk. The weary scientist was asleep even before he hit the pillow.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_:**

Karan was about to disconnect when the ship's sensors intruded into her consciousness, informing her of a sudden change in circumstances. There was no need to consult her hyperspatial senses on this one.

"Priority alert, multiple hyperspace signatures detected on incoming vectors. Fleet, go to maximum alert," Karan sent the message out across all allied frequencies.

Klaxons wailed and the _Sajuuk_'s interior was bathed in red light as the ship went to combat readiness. The same scene was repeated across every other ship in the Alliance fleet – pilots scrambling to their strike craft and captains preparing for battle.

The Alliance fleet moved into formation quickly, assembling in a spherical formation around the _Iron Grip_ and the other command vessels. They were still recovering from the double blows of the Mythra attack and the capturing of the War Moon. Karan doubted they would survive if this was truly the final battle.

The windows of quantum energy opened before the gathered fleet. To Karan's relief, there was only one mothership class vessel among them. She knew they were friends.

Sure enough, the Nalthoran flagship _Stargazer _emerged from hyperspace, accompanied by the rest of the Nalthoran fleet. But to Karan's surprise, more quantum wavefronts of unknown signatures continued to open behind the Nalthoran fleet.

"They are being pursued!" Karan exclaimed, Karan to Fleet, open fire on the…

"No, Karan!" the voice of Queen Dosis cut in abruptly, "Hold your fire!"

"Queen Dosis?"

"Do not be unduly worried, Karan, they're on our side."

It was a queer gathering of ships emerging from hyperspace. Some were ancient vessels like the Qwaar Jet heavy cruiser and the Skaal Tel destroyer. Others were captured Hiigaran ships ranging from the Firelance frigate to the Archangel dreadnought. Many more were ships of never-before-seen configurations and designs, unique to the various galactic cultures that spawned them.

At last, the hyperspace exits ceased, leaving a newly gathered fleet that vastly outnumbered the Alliance.

"Queen Dosis," Karan began, transfixed by the sight, "This is…"

"There was no way we could just leave the Hiigaran Navy to fight off a threat as dangerous as the Neo-Beast," Queen Dosis replied, "So we decided to pull back from the T-MAT hypergate to assist you, regardless of whether our technology is up to the task."

"This is most astonishing," Karan spoke, "Perhaps it'd be best if we met up. A great deal has happened since your departure."

"Indeed. I will meet you on the _Sajuuk_ within the hour."

* * *

Karan, clothed in her ceremonial robes, received the Nalthoran retinue warmly. So much had happened since Queen Dosis decided to take the Nalthoran fleet away from the danger. Now would be a good time to catch up. Gesturing to the conference table, Karan invited Dosis to take a seat.

"Thank you Karan, I see you are as vibrant as ever," Dosis commented as she made herself comfortable at the table.

"It's probably the Cores I guess," Karan replied, "I could open a cosmetics establishment and offer Hyperspace Core treatments. I'm sure it'd be all the rage!"

Both leaders laughed at the idea. Indeed, the Hyperspace Core possessed side effects other than its far jumping capabilities. Karan was more than a century old, yet she barely looked thirty.

"Alright then, we should get back to business," Karan started, "How is it that you managed to gather such a large fleet of allies?"

"It was purely accidental, I assure you," Dosis replied, "We were jumping back from the hypergate when we chanced upon some stray transmissions from the Middle Rim worlds. Word was going around that a new infection entity was invading the Galaxy. I knew immediately that the Neo-Beast had to be stopped, since it poses a threat far greater than that of the original Beast."

"While we were charging for a second jump, we intercepted more transmissions, and it was very disturbing. Apparently the Neo-Beast had found a way to simultaneously attack key planets throughout the Middle Rim. I guess it's no coincidence that a majority of those planets were homeworlds."

"There was a considerable fall in intragalactic communications after that. We guessed that many kingdoms, republics, nations… they all collapsed with the loss of their homeworlds and governments. Thankfully, there were some whose leaders escaped and survived, and they arranged for an emergency meeting at a top-secret rendezvous point."

"We managed to tap into their encrypted channels and deduce the meeting locale. I personally met up with them and we came up with this temporary alliance to ride out this storm. The plan was to dispatch scout fleets to sovereign territories throughout the Middle Rim and gather whatever stray forces that remained after the attack."

"Later on, word came from the side of the Empire that your fleet had moved right in with the intention of conquest. I guess it was not for that purpose?"

"We intruded into Imperial space in response to a distress call we received," Karan explained, "It was just a matter of time before we went in anyway, since we were considering an alliance with the Imperials."

"From the Imperial ships I see among your forces, I gather the discussions were fruitful," Dosis noted, "Anyway, we headed straight for Imperial space immediately afterwards. If it were not for the T-MAT's own hypergate network, we couldn't have gotten here so quickly."

"The T-MAT have a hypergate network?" Karan asked, incredulous.

"Far from the scale of the _Eye of Aaraan_, but it's adequate," Dosis replied.

"I see, so we will be expecting more ships to join our cause?" Karan enquired.

"I'm afraid that is not the case. Our scout fleets reported the worst."

"And that is…"

"What you see here with us is all that's left," Dosis sighed, "Everything else was either destroyed or subverted…"

"That's impossible!" Karan exclaimed in shock, knowing the implications of Dosis' words. The total number of ships and fleets in the Galaxy was definitely much more than the number Dosis had gathered here. If they were all destroyed, it'd be good for them. But if they were all subverted…

"As far as we know, the Neo-Beast have no means of far jumping! All the Far Jumpers there are in the Galaxy are in our possession!"

"I also thought that too, Karan, but it seems they found another way," Dosis responded, "Think, Karan, think, could you possibly have missed out anything?"

"No, Queen Dosis, there is no other means of far jumping in this Galaxy. Only the _Eye_…"

Karan paused, and her face twisted in horror. How could she have forgotten? The _Eye of Aaraan_…

"By the Gods, the Neo-Beast must have taken the _Eye of Aaraan_," Karan uttered, "How else could they have mounted such a coordinated assault on homeworlds hundreds of light years apart! The _Eye_ network extends far and wide, it probably allowed the Neo-Beast to strike when they least expected them to…"

Karan halted again, her mind racing with this new revelation. She suddenly stood up from the table, alarming the Nalthoran Queen.

"I'm sorry, Queen Dosis, but there are some urgent matters I must attend to," Karan said apologetically, "I will return once those matters are settled."

"No problem, take your time," Dosis replied warmly, "I'll be waiting on the _Stargazer_."

"Thank you!" Karan gushed as she ran towards the door, her aides racing beside her.

"I need to get plugged in right away," Karan ordered, turning to one of her aides, "And get a message through to Eefrit. Tell him to use the _Pride_'s long range sensors to check if there's an _Eye_ gate anywhere near us!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Ascension_, hyperspace transit:**

"General, we will be arriving at the outskirts of the Hiigaran system in a minute's time," the NAV officer reported, "Your orders?"

"It would be much better if we could have stayed closer to the Galactic Core," General Tora muttered, "But who would've thought the Hiigaran system was THIS close to the Core?"

"General?"

"Just take us back to hyperspace the moment the drives are recharged. I don't want this fleet any more exposed than it has to be."

"Affirmative. Stand by for hyperspace exit."

General Tora watched as the blueness of hyperspace gave way to the vermillion surroundings of the Hiigaran system outskirts. Being so close to the Galactic Core, nearly the entire region had lost its inky blackness.

And the sensors started screaming alerts.

"General! There's a hostile fleet in front of us!" the sensors officer cried, "It's being led by a Keeper!"

"Damn it! Are they infected?"

"Every single one of them. We've been noticed, inhibitor field is enveloping us!"

"Looks like we can't get away from this one," Tora muttered, "_Ascension_ to all ships, raise cloak and engage the enemy. Focus fire on the Progenitor Keeper!"

The order went through and the Tobari fleet disappeared from sight instantly. The infected ships responded by opening fire.

The _Ascension_ shook as mass drivers and missiles impacted its hull. The ship's drives were already at full, pushing the flagship away from the line of fire. The flagship's cloak generators, designed to compensate for such impacts, displayed the same mass drivers and missiles passing through empty space.

Other ships weren't so lucky. Frigates were blown into pieces as their cloaking fields were disrupted by the attacks, exposing them to full view of the enemy. Destroyers were grazed when the shimmers in the cloaking fields revealed their positions to the infected fleet.

The Tobari fought back, firing their mass drivers and gravity weapons at only the Keeper. The Keeper sensed it was the target, and raised its energy shields to protect itself. As metal slugs and pulses of gravity pummelled at the yellow field, the Keeper began retreating from the battle.

"That's it, the Keeper's afraid now!" Tora roared, "All ships, continue to focus fire on the Keeper! Meanwhile, how much time before we can hyperspace?"

"Five more minutes before we have full charge."

"Once that Keeper's gone, we jump as soon as we're ready," Tora ordered, "If we are to survive this, we have to rendezvous with the Hiigarans. Those Progenitor ships of theirs will turn the tide."

"Sir? I thought we were supposed to invade the Galaxy…"

"Tell me how I'm supposed to do that when we've got techno-organic viruses running loose out there?" Tora yelled, "We ally first to get rid of this thing. Conquest can come later."

"But sir, pardon me for saying this, but, what if your resolve gets…"

"No doubts about my resolve, we will have our revenge soon enough!" Tora roared, "Now just concentrate on this battle!"

Tora watched anxiously as the Keeper continued to retreat further, pulling itself out of range of an increasing number of Tobari ships. The firestorm blasting away at the Keeper began to decline as it slowly but surely achieved its purpose. Tora swore.

"Looks like we have to use it! Weapons control, stand by to fire Gravity Array!"

"Sir, the Gravity Array hasn't even been tested! If it fails…"

"We won't survive if we can't jump our of here. Just fire the damn thing!" Tora yelled as he cut the channel. It was a rash decision, but things were looking very bad right now.

Already, Tobari ships were succumbing to the infection. Several "assault" ships had turned out to be ships purely dedicated to the task of infecting their victims. As the Tobari ships were hit by the crimson beams, the vessels detonated as their captains chose death over subversion.

The _Ascension_, looking more like an assault mothership than a defenceless flagship, manoeuvred into position. If not for its sharper outlines and the giant Tobari emblem on its side, one would have easily mistaken it for a Vaygr flagship with a giant cannon mounted on its belly.

"Charging Gravity Array now. Sir, how much power?"

"We can't risk pushing it too much, set the cannon for 40 percent," Tora responded, "And hurry up!"

"Got it. 40 seconds to firing Gravity Array. All friendlies, please clear the blast zone."

Light bent around the front of the cannon as a tremendous amount of gravitational disruption built up before it. The superstructure of the flagship began shaking, a testament to its horrible fate if the cannon were to misfire.

The Keeper was now almost out of the Tobari fleet's firing range. Only a few mass drivers and the occasional gravitic pulse slammed into its shields every now and then. However, the shields were recovering from the beating they had taken earlier on. In their weakened state, it was an excellent opportunity to finish the Keeper.

"Five seconds!"

"All hands brace for firing!" Tora cried as he crouched down on the floor, grabbing a chair with all his strength.

The _Ascension_ shook wildly as the cannon fired, the ship flung backwards by the tremendous recoil. Anyone who wasn't holding onto something secure was promptly swung against the flagship's bulkheads.

The massive gravitational pulse, the size of a destroyer, pummelled any ship that stood before it. The Keeper sensed the danger and tried to phase out.

Too late. The shields crumpled under the massive attack and the Keeper buckled in on itself, crushed by the sheer gravitational stress it was subjected to. A brilliant flare of light marked the death of the Keeper.

The Tobari fleet saw the signal, and jumped into hyperspace immediately, abandoning the battle with the infected fleet.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Karan, you're not going to believe this," Eefrit spoke while staring at the sensors screen, "There's an _Eye_ gate just four light years north of our position."

"We need to leave now, and fast," Karan replied, "The Neo-Beast have the advantage now. They can strike whenever they please, wherever they want."

"If so, then what's the point?" Eefrit countered, "If I put my finger on the Galactic map at random, what are the odds it'll be within jump range of a gate?"

"Well, the odds are…" Karan paused to think for a moment, before realising Eefrit was right. There was really no point in running.

"Well, we're going to have to face them sooner or later, so why not just let them come to us?" Eefrit suggested, "We have the advantage of stealth here in the nebula, so we could just set up an ambush for when they come through the gate."

"An ambush? But first we'd have to check for any other gates within range."

"There's another one just outside the Plaz Nebula, it's far enough to require two jumps on standard hyperspace module. The last one is of no threat to us – you'd need three jumps to get here."

"If that's the case, an ambush around the local gate sounds like an excellent idea," Karan agreed, "Eefrit, you'll take charge of the operation."

"No problem, I'll make sure every minelayer we have is out at that gate!" Eefrit grinned.

"Alright, just get that ambush ready as soon as you can. We don't know for sure when the Neo-Beast will strike, but it'll definitely be soon. Karan out."

Eefrit closed the channel and powered up the tactical screen. His other officers were busy coordinating communications with the rest of the fleet captains. Such was the trouble when there was no one in control of the mothership's computers.

Imagine his surprise when Yuno's holographic projector flickered slightly, then shimmered into life.

"Yuno, is that you?" Eefrit asked, "Please tell me that's you!"

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've given you, Eefrit," Yuno spoke apologetically as she flickered into view, "I truly am…"

"That was completely unprofessional, leaving your post in the middle of a crucial battle!" Eefrit scolded, "Do you know how many lives you put at risk when you just left?"

"I…" Yuno stuttered.

"Losing _Faal Corum_ was bad enough as it is," Eefrit went on, "By going AWOL you could have jeopardised our entire battle against the Imperials!"

Yuno stood there silently, absorbing the harsh words Eefrit was throwing at her. He was right. She should not have just left. But back then, the emotions she felt, the guilt at leading an entire command ship to its grave…

"That's enough, Eefrit," Kiir interjected as he walked onto the bridge, "I'm sure Yuno's very sorry for her actions."

"But it was utterly inexcusable!" Eefrit continued, purple with rage, "In all my years as an Admiral…"

"I said that's enough, Eefrit," Kiir repeated, this time more loudly and with a mini display of telekinetic power that caused the air to sweep around him in a small vortex, "What's done is done."

Eefrit stared at Kiir, then shot Yuno another angry glare before storming out of the bridge. As the doors slid shut behind him, Kiir heaved a sigh of relief.

"I am so dead now, a show of defiance in front of a higher-ranking officer," Kiir moaned in despair. Yunochuckled at the pitiful sight of Kiir berating himself.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine, but Eefrit was right. I did wrong in leaving my post during an emergency."

"It's understandable. And don't blame yourself anymore, no one expected a traitor onboard the _Merciless_."

"I know, but still… one entire command ship… gone just like that…"

Yuno turned to look at the massive War Moon hanging beside them. It was definitely much larger than the original Nomad Moon, its diameter being equivalent to the length of the _Sajuuk_. The repulsor emitters alone were the size of heavy cruisers.

"This war has got to end."

"I agree. Everyone here, the Taiidani, the Nalthorans, especially the T-MAT… everyone's sacrificed so much for this war."

"You do know the final battle is near, Kiir? Yuno asked, I overheard the conversation between Karan and Eefrit just now."

"As did I, and I couldn't agree more with their decision. I mean, it's really time we stopped running and just faced off with the Neo-Beast once and for all."

"But do you think we are ready?" Yuno asked, her voice filled with doubt.

"I think we are. We've got two of the Gods, we've installed the Grand Core on the _Koshiir Ra_, we've got the Nalthorans and all these allies…"

"But will it be enough?"

Kiir kept quiet as he pondered their current situation. The Alliance fleet was badly battered by so many battles in so short a time span. Carriers and command ships were working overtime to restore fleet numbers, but there was definitely not enough time, especially if the Neo-Beast were set to attack at any time.

Sure, they had the Grand Core installed on the _Koshiir Ra_ now, but the question remained as to whether it would be enough. Could it really stand up against the might of a singularity?

_Sajuuk_, under the control of Karan, had brought an end to the Planet Killers above Hiigara. Would its Phased Cannon Array be up to the task this time?

"Kiir?"

"I don't know what to say, Yuno," Kiir replied as he stared out at the stars, "But whether it's enough or not, we'll give them a fight they'll never forget."

* * *

**Onboard the _Qwaar Jet_, the _Eye of Aaraan_:**

Everything was going according to plan. The attacks on the homeworlds had been very successful, and many fleets had fallen under his control. Regretfully, some of them had managed to escape the subversion, but with the numbers he controlled now, he would mop up the last remnants of resistance to his reign in this Galaxy.

And once this Galaxy was dealt with, he would move on to other galaxies, and even more galaxies. He would not rest until he had successfully spread the crimson plague across the known Universe.

The last of the subverted ships entered realspace, and moved to align themselves around the _Qwaar Jet_. There were so many ships that the light from the Galactic Core was nearly completely blocked out.

The _Eye_ before the fleet began to turn, shimmering as it prepared to catalyse the final battle.

Kaark formulated a single thought in his mind, sending it to every ship in his newly gathered fleet. In doing so, he ended the temporary peace he had had with the rebels.

Multitudes of ships poured into the _Eye_, warping into hyperspace towards their destination. The entire derelict gate core was lit up by the sheer number of ships entering hyperspace simultaneously. Frigate followed frigate, destroyer followed destroyer, cruiser followed cruiser. It was an almost endless queue.

At last, the _Eye_ dimmed down as the bulk of the fleet successfully made the transition to hyperspace. Only the _Qwaar Jet_ was left now, along with the rest of the original Progenitor fleet.

Kaark hoped they would enjoy the appetiser.


	35. Blitz

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 35: BLITZ

* * *

**

"_In war there is no prize for the runner-up."_

_Source unknown

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Fields of Plaz:**

Karan gawked when her hyperspace senses kicked in. Scrambling to check the ship's sensors, she sincerely hoped it was a false alarm.

When she saw Eefrit requesting communications, all her hopes vanished.

"Karan here, is there anything?"

"Sorry to bother you, but we've just arrived at the _Eye_ gate. Unless our sensors are wrong, the gate's powering up!"

"They're coming now, Eefrit, whether we're ready or not," Karan sighed, "But there's still time. Unless I'm mistaken, it'll take them 30 minutes to come through the gate."

"That gives us 30… alright, Eefrit out."

The channel closed and Karan sent the alert to the rest of the fleet.

It was time for war.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Yuno, I've informed Karan," Eefrit announced, "She'll be bringing the rest of the fleet here in due time."

"Got it, I've already dispatched the minelayers," Yuno acknowledged, "We'll have the whole gate mined in no time. What else now?"

"We have to assume the initial mines won't finish them," Eefrit commented, "So we'll have to position our forces such that we can maximise the firepower from each and every ship we've got."

"A sphere formation?"

"Something along those lines, but I'd personally prefer a multi-armed Claw. We can put the _Sajuuk_ at the centre, and use its Phased Cannon Array as the main gun. The rest of the fleet will concentrate fire from the arms, and _Koshiir Ra_ will provide cover."

"Sounds good. I'll tell Kiir about the plan once he's back onboard the _Koshiir Ra_. But where do we put the support vessels?"

"We should keep them from the main battle, so everything else assembles behind the _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_."

"Eefrit, what about…"

"Fighter support? We'll order the strike craft to support the capitals along the arms, and concentrate on the centre where the _Sajuuk_ is. They should not venture too far from the capital ship formation, or it's likely for them to be ripped apart."

"Very well, I'll update the pilots' computers right now. Is there anything else?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment."

"Alright then, I'll be off now."

"Wait one moment, I have something else…" Eefrit muttered. Yuno paused and wore a look of surprise on her face.

"About just now, I think I went a little too far with my words," Eefrit conceded, "I apologise if I've hurt you in any way…"

"There's no need to apologise, Eefrit, I needed the scolding," Yuno reassured, "Anyway, no harm's done."

Yuno winked and shimmered into nothingness.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Fields of Plaz:**

Kiir opened his eyes, and he was no longer in reality, but the virtual realm. Around him was half of the Hiigaran fleet, the ships moving slowly into position around the large gate. _Sajuuk_ would arrive with the rest of the fleet once Karan had figured out how to tow something as massive as the _Iron Grip_ into the _Sajuuk_'s hyperspace wake.

Now that the final battle was imminent, he had to do some last minute tests on the _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion fields. The last thing they needed now was a catastrophic field failure in the heat of battle.

Closing his eyes in concentration, Kiir focused on the distortion field. He visualised it wrapping around the gate in a perfect, impenetrable sphere, the field getting stronger with each passing minute. He opened his eyes and saw for himself a shimmering distortion in space wrapped snugly around the _Eye_ gate.

Another thought and the field disappeared. It was a lot like controlling his own telekinetic force field, just that this was on a much larger scale.

It was a pity he couldn't test the effectiveness of the field. There was no time to recalibrate the fields to block Alliance firepower anyway.

A stream of strategic updates filtered in beside him. Kiir looked up and saw Yuno standing some distance from him.

"Here are the formation updates, Eefrit wants you to take the _Koshiir Ra_ into formation beside the _Sajuuk_. Your job is to cover the fleet, which will be in Claw, with the strongest distortion field possible."

"I see. I assume Eefrit's tactic will be to blast the Neo-Beast from every direction in front of the gate?"

"The Neo-Beast won't have time to pull back, and can neither advance nor manoeuvre to the sides. Hopefully the focused fire, along with the _Sajuuk_'s Phased Cannon Array, will be adequate for the situation."

"It has to be. I checked the sensors, and it seems you're laying enough mines to take down a Progenitor attack force," Kiir noted, referring to the thousands upon thousands of mines that had been laid down simultaneously by a substantial fleet of minelayer corvettes and frigates. Yuno had also taken the effort to drop ion and gun platforms from the _Pride_, arranging them in orderly rows before the gate.

"We could use all the firepower we can get, so I'm throwing out everything that has a gun or can blow up in a big way," Yuno explained, "When the rest of the construction-capable ships come in, I'm sure they'd do the same."

"Speaking of which, here they come," Kiir announced as the _Koshiir Ra_'s sensors registered the rest of the fleet hyperspacing in behind them. The command ships _Kuun Lan_ and _Paaura_, the flagships _Legacy of Kharak_, _Merciless_ and _Stargazer_, and the plethora of carriers, frigates, battlecruisers… It was the largest ever unified fleet in the Galaxy's history.

And then a massive hyperspace window opened, pulling the gargantuan _Iron Grip_ into realspace alongside the relatively smaller _Sajuuk_. As soon as the hyperspace transition was complete, the battleships began moving into position. Assault vessels joined with the Claw, thickening the arms and solidifying the core, while the support vessels retreated behind the _Sajuuk_, _Koshiir Ra_ and _Iron Grip_.

As the support vessels retreated, they too launched combat platforms that plodded slowly towards the hyperspace gate. Every construction facility there was in the Alliance was pushed to its limit as various defence mechanisms were deployed by the other cultures that had lent their power.

Karan Sjet herself manifested in virtual form alongside Kiir and Yuno.

"Kiir, Yuno, the final battle is upon us," Karan uttered, "You both know what this means, right?"

"We give our all, or die trying," Kiir said determinedly, "In other words, it's now or never."

"I won't hide, no matter what, I'll command the fleet to the very end," Yuno declared.

"It's good to hear that from the both of you," Karan beamed, "But I must warn you that victory will be difficult to achieve in this battle. In fact, the _Qwaar Jet_ alone has the power to turn the tables and render all our strategy useless."

"Then we'll show them what two Gods can do against one," spoke Kiir, "I'll show them _Koshiir Ra_ is no pushover! Karan, _Qwaar Jet_'s yours for the taking!"

"Well, yes, of course," Karan replied with a tinge of nervousness, "The Phased Cannon Array did considerable damage to the Neo-Beast back at Nalthora."

"Lady Sjet, count us in."

The transmission was abrupt, but no one made any attempt to close the channel.

"We are the Ukhara, our homeworld was destroyed by the Neo-Beast entity. We seek revenge as well, so we shall contribute the might of our plasma autocannons!"

"Allow us, the Silfario, to assist with our strike craft!"

"The Magellan are at your service!"

More and more transmissions continued to come in, each from a different culture, a different race, but sharing similar goals. Karan was moved to tears by the massive support and rare show of galactic solidarity. She thanked them individually, until she came to the last channel. A familiar voice entered her ears.

"Karan."

"Queen Dosis."

"We may not pack the punch the other fleets may have, but we will provide whatever sensor support we can," Dosis assured, "There will not be any blind spots in this battle!"

"Queen Dosis, I thank you," Karan gushed, "If we make it through…"

"Why the negativity Karan? When this is all over, consider me the first customer of your Core treatments," Dosis joked, "Till then, stay well Karan."

"You too, Queen Dosis."

The Nalthorans closed the channel. Kiir's attention was drawn to the sensors once more. This time the _Eye_ gate was shimmering, streaks of hyperspace emanating from the gate and piercing into realspace.

The Neo-Beast were here.

"Prepare for battle," Karan ordered as she vanished in a puff of logic.

* * *

**Onboard Ukhara command carrier, Fields of Plaz:**

"Sir, the Neo-Beast is coming through!"

"Sensors reading hundreds of them!"

"Hiigaran mines are tracking the enemy!"

The commander saw the scores of ships pouring through the gate. He felt fear at the sheer power they were facing, but he forced it down and barked out his orders.

"Power up plasma autocannon platforms, autofire mode! All ships divert power to weapons and engage!"

* * *

**Onboard a Silfario heavy fighter, Fields of Plaz:**

The pilot twisted his ship's controls slightly and the fighter banked towards the onslaught of infected fighters. His combat vessel was beautifully designed and built, easily matching the Hiigaran Acolyte II for manoeuvrability and speed.

"This is Death Squad Captain, we are engaging the enemy."

"Status confirmed, may Sajuuk watch over you."

The pilot let loose a high pitched wail, the Silfario battlecry, and plunged his ship into the infected mass.

* * *

**Onboard the _Stargazer_, Fields of Plaz:**

"My Queen, the Neo-Beast have engaged the Silfario strike craft. Automatic defences have kicked in, and the Hiigaran fleet is providing long range fire support," the sensors officer reported.

"Get whatever anti-cloak sensors we've got online and relay everything to the _Pride of Hiigara_. They're too busy with coordinating the battle, so we'll have to be their eyes," Dosis ordered, "I want those sensor updates done without delay!"

"Yes your majesty," came the reply as the officer busied himself with the computer.

Queen Dosis watched as the second wave of Hiigaran mines swept in, detonating in a fireworks display of destruction against the oncoming wave of Neo-Beast ships. There was still a third and fourth wave of mines waiting for activation, but something told her it wasn't going to be enough. Still more ships kept pouring from the gate like a swarm from Hell itself.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Fields of Plaz:**

The explosions from the second mine wave cleared, and Karan hoped to see an improved situation. To her utter disbelief, still more ships were pouring from the gate in an unending flood.

"Karan, this is Eefrit," crackled the communications channel, "We've got two more waves of mines left. Once they're activated…"

"I understand," Karan responded, "Activate all remaining mines, set them to target ships of destroyer class and heavier only. If the mines fail, you have clearance to take the fleet in."

"Roger that Karan. Eefrit out."

Karan felt a frenzy of signals exit from the _Pride_. Within moments, she saw the mines activate and move from their deployed positions, venting plasma to propel themselves at high speed. The targeted capital ships attempted to evade, moving sluggishly away in the opposite direction, but it was futile. The mines slammed into the hulls of the ships, releasing their entire payload in blinding flashes of light and heat. Another multitude of explosions ripped across the gate as the mines crippled and vaporised entire destroyers and cruisers.

Now that the mines were gone, only the formations of automatic platforms remained to provide a buffer between the Neo-Beast and Alliance fleets. To Karan's dismay, the Neo-Beast numbers continued to increase. Now there were so many ships that the brilliant rain of firepower from the platforms could no longer halt their advance. Soon, the platforms began exploding as the Neo-Beast counterattacked, continually being reinforced by the hyperspace gate behind them.

Karan knew immediately what she had to do. Aiming the _Sajuuk_'s prow at the core of the massing enemy, she sent a mental thought and began charging the Phased Cannon Array. Seconds later, the computers acknowledged Karan's order and informed her that the cannon was ready.

Vermillion light built up at the rear of the massive ship, streaming forward and increasing in brilliance as the energies combined and focused at the frontal cannon. The build-up paused momentarily in a glittering sphere of energy, before erupting forward as a mighty lance of pure light. The beam met with little resistance, slicing through infected frigates, destroyers and cruisers without trouble. Another series of explosions lit up the immediate vicinity of the beam's line of fire.

"Karan to Eefrit, begin frontal assault now!" Karan boomed as she immediately began recharging the Array for a second attack. Eefrit's response was instantaneous – the bulk of the Hiigaran fleet rushed forward, supported by the _Pride of Hiigara_ and _Kuun Lan_ in the rear. Another glittering sphere of light blasted away from the _Kuun Lan_ and detonated in the midst of the enemy, ripping more ships to pieces with its almighty shockwave.

By now the platform formations had been completely decimated, so nothing remained to stop the still-continuing torrent of ships from the _Eye_ gate. The Neo-Beast turned fired all their weapons at the rushing Hiigaran ships, ion beams and energy blasts slicing and burning through space. At the last minute, the shots were halted unceremoniously by the invisible barrier that was Kiir's, or rather, _Koshiir Ra_'s doing.

Karan smiled when she saw the relative effectiveness of the Hiigaran response.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_:**

"Capital ships have engaged the Neo-Beast, the distortion field is holding strong," Yuno reported.

"Excellent. Order the battlecruisers to focus fire on the super heavy vessels. Other ships of smaller classes should engage anything smaller than a cruiser."

"Relaying information to fleet now. Eefrit, the rear of the Neo-Beast fleet is splitting up to engage the flanking arms."

"That was the problem with the Claw formation. I was hoping we could finish them in the first salvo so this weakness wasn't exposed, but now," Eefrit sighed as he quickly worked out another plan, "Order the rest of the ships to break formation and fall back behind our flanks. Hopefully our attack will prove a sufficient distraction…"

"Don't worry, we've got that covered," came the voice of Admiral Ecron, "Taiidan forces will lay suppressing fire while your ships retreat."

As the Taiidan Admiral spoke those words, the Taiidan fleet could be seen moving out of the stealth of the nebula. Their ships had been hidden behind the seemingly thin and weak flanking arms of the Hiigaran Claw, so when the Hiigaran vessels retreated in the face of the advancing Neo-Beast, they cleared an open path for the Taiidan to fire through.

"Thanks a million Ecron," Eefrit replied gratefully, "Your assistance is most welcome."

"Just doing our part." Ecron responded before ending the transmission. At the same time, the Taiidan fired for the first time in this battle, their improvised frigates releasing mass drivers, missiles and ion beams at the same time. Behind the frigate walls, the heavy destroyers and Imperial battlecruisers fired their Energy Burst Cannons, showering the Neo-Beast with hundreds of potent energy beams.

The Neo-Beast cowered momentarily under the unexpected assault, then answered the Taiidan attacks with their own. Again, their attack was in vain as the _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field deflected all the shots effortlessly.

Eefrit gave a whoop of delight as he saw the Taiidan forces pummel the Neo-Beast in a horribly mis-matched duel. One was nigh invincible, while the other had no means of fighting back. Eefrit almost felt pity at the helplessness of the Neo-Beast.

At least until Kiir interrupted his thoughts.

"Eefrit, _Koshiir Ra_ can't handle this stress forever," Kiir complained, "There's enough firepower out there to wipe out a mothership in seconds, and the distortion field is blocking it all."

"Get to the point."

"I can sustain the field at current strength for another 5 minutes, and nothing more," Kiir reported, "After that, the field's integrity will halve, and we'll start getting hit by half of what they're throwing at us."

"Then just use the Grand Core to bolster the shield power!" Eefrit snapped back, "Even half of that firepower could well devastate a considerable portion of our forces!"

"Not possible, we have to save power. Why, _Qwaar Jet_'s not even here yet!" Kiir retorted, "Just kill whatever you can in those 5 minutes, and maybe when we start getting hit it won't be that painful. Kiir out."

Eefrit swore and stared at the enemy before them. What Kiir said was true – the amount of firepower the Neo-Beast were flinging at them was simply massive and devastating. In comparison, the attacks of the combined Alliance fleet were puny, barely scratching the now monolithic fleet that had gathered before the gate.

If it was any comfort, the ships streaming out of the gate were getting fewer in number now. But the Neo-Beast already vastly outnumbered the Alliance – four to one to be exact. If the shield went down, the Alliance fleet would be badly hurt.

"Damn it, how the hell did they manage to subvert so many," Eefrit muttered, "Yuno, change of plans."

"I'm all ears."

"Focus all fire on anything larger than a destroyer. Their super capital vessels are responsible for most of the firepower, so we need to knock out as many as we can."

"Got it, relaying updates to Fleet now. _Kuun Lan_'s Siege Cannon is also fully charged, while General Qwaar is moving the _Paaura_ within firing range."

"Excellent, have the Somtaaw siege the Neo-Beast in a simultaneous attack," ordered Eefrit, "Synchronised firing ought to have more effect than individual siege blasts."

"Alright then, I'll let General Qwaar know," Yuno replied as she sent the whole series of updates to the Fleet. She wasn't sure if her stamina could hold out, as the volume of data streaming in and out of the _Pride_ had increased vastly with the addition of the other fleets.

The faintest vestiges of a peculiar fatigue began to show in Yuno, something she had never encountered before.

"No matter," Yuno thought, "I must persevere. This battle will probably decide whether we win this war or not."

* * *

**Onboard the _Shipyard Naabal_, Fields of Plaz:**

"I'm really sorry Soban, but the attack came too fast," Elohim explained, "There really hasn't been time for us to make those temporary repairs."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Hang around here with my crew while the Alliance fights for survival?" Soban exclaimed, "I need to get out there, they need the _Gatekeeper_'s firepower!"

"Go out now, and all you'll have is a plasma turret," Elohim replied angrily. He had had enough of Soban's insistence.

"Okay, okay. If you can't get the Dreadnaught ready, then is there any other ship which is battle-capable?"

"Well, there's the _Horizon_…" Elohim's voice trailed off as his wit caught up and chided him for letting those words out. He opened his mouth to stop Soban, but the captain was already running towards the hangar bays.

Elohim rushed hurriedly over to the intercom in a last-ditch attempt to stop the crazy captain. Tuning the volume to the maximum, he prayed for his words to get through to Soban.

"Elohim to Soban, there's no way you can use the _Horizon_! That thing's not fully repaired yet, we haven't even finished bolting down all the new armour plating!"

As expected, there was no response. Elohim cussed for the first time in decades, then dashed to the bridge controls. Perhaps he could abort the launch if he was fast enough.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_:**

_Koshiir Ra_ drifted majestically behind the _Sajuuk_, its great wings projecting the field that protected the Alliance fleet from harm. It was certainly a godly spectacle – one ship against probably the rest of the subverted Galaxy.

As Kiir found out, even Gods had their limits.

Warning dialogs were screaming at him from nearly every direction. Energy readings of the _Koshiir Ra_ continued to plunge under the unending assault, forcing Kiir to power down non-essential systems.

If the computer diagnostics were right, Kiir could afford to maintain the current field strength only for another two more minutes. Any longer, and he would need to tap into the Grand Core's power output – an unwise decision.

If he used the Grand Core's power now, he would be able to spare the Alliance fleet from harm. But then, _Koshiir Ra_ would have no power left to deal with the _Qwaar Jet_ when it came. Conserve power for the _Qwaar Jet_, and the Alliance would be vulnerable when those two minutes were up.

The impossible set of choices was exceedingly frustrating for Kiir. He had not expected the Neo-Beast to come out in such force. The gate was no longer spitting out ships, but the grand total now outnumbered their forces by a whopping seven to one.

"Winning the Hiigaran lottery's probably easier than winning this…" Kiir muttered as he adapted and changed the field's shape to compensate for the movements of the Alliance fleet. Now the Alliance fleet had gathered into a single formation before the massive Neo-Beast forces in a bid to focus fire and force their way through the enemy formations. Kiir changed the field accordingly to a spherical shape so as to contain the Alliance.

Hiigaran battlecruisers pounded away at the enemy ships with their long range ion cannons and Arbiter Cannons, while the Taiidan heavy destroyers supported with frequent salvos of their energy burst weapons. The Ukharan vessels, largely made up of frigates, flung plasma bolts at the enemy in rapid succession. As the sleek bird-like Ukharan frigates swept around the battlefield, the Silfarion fighters fought alongside Hiigaran Acolyte IIs and Taiidani missile corvettes outside the protection of the distortion fields. It was a risky manoeuvre, but the only effective way of engaging the massive numbers of infected strike craft.

One more minute to go.

In an attempt to alleviate his worries, the _Sajuuk_ slashed into the seething mass of ships with its Phased Cannon Array again. The vermillion beam of energy cut down many frigates and destroyers, but there were just too many of them. _Sajuuk_ was like a needle trying to severely damage a large metal sphere. Even as the point defences of the legendary vessel fired away rapidly at whatever ships they could hit, it was just not enough firepower.

Kiir saw the _Paaura_ and _Kuun Lan_ move into position, their cannons charging up in a display of light. As if to avenge the fallen _Faal Corum_, the globes of light discharged and pummelled straight into the core of the Neo-Beast forces. Two blinding explosions ripped through the enemy formation, but the shockwave didn't even manage to reach its maximum range – there were just too many ships absorbing the damage.

For the first time in a long time, Kiir began to fear for their survival. Even if the enemy ships were using standard galactic armors, winning against such numbers would take a long and extremely painful battle. That the organic armor was far more resilient than the average space-titanium alloy only served to make the odds even worse.

15 more seconds.

Kiir took a deep breath and sent the warning. Anytime now, the distortion field's strength would halve and expose the Alliance to half of whatever firepower the Neo-Beast was throwing out right now. Hopefully, Eefrit's tactical management would minimise the casualties, for the honeymoon period was about to end.

5 seconds.

Kiir closed his eyes as the _Koshiir Ra_ went into emergency power mode and cut the distortion field power output.

When he opened his eyes again, Kiir wished he had kept them shut.

A Hiigaran battlecruiser rolled on its side, now in its death throes. The hull was venting plasma from many breaches in its armor, and the engines were completely gone. Moments later, the doomed ship's reactor went critical and vaporised the failing superstructure.

Even as the light from the battlecruiser's death faded away, dozens of other ships began crumbling as the Neo-Beast attacks finally took effect. Defence field frigates leapt into the fray, struggling to protect exposed vessels from the onslaught, but there was just too much firepower – the cerulean spheres collapsed in a matter of seconds.

And he could only watch the scene helplessly.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_:**

The mothership shook as ion beams raked its hull. The armor held, but buckled in several places when another salvo of plasma bolts smashed into the weakened structure. The bridge lights flickered as overloads rippled through the ship systems.

"Damage report!" Eefrit cried, struggling to keep his balance on the rocking floor.

"Moderate damage to outer hull, inner hull breach across 11 decks, hull integrity 86 percent," Yuno reported, "The _Pride_ cannot take this kind of firepower for long!"

"We have to pull back," Eefrit uttered as he scrambled to the flickering tactical screen, searching for a safe location to retreat to, "Yuno, tactical jump to the centre forces around the _Sajuuk_."

"Acknowledged, initiating tactical hyperspace jump."

The quantum wavefront opened and swept the length of the Hiigaran flagship, but not before another salvo of heavy missiles slammed into the mothership's left side. The gyros' capacities were exceeded and the ship banked sharply to one side, throwing everyone off their feet. Then the violent shudders ceased as the hyperspace module deposited the smouldering mothership beside the _Sajuuk_, where Karan was making a desperate stand against the unleashed Neo-Beast forces.

"Tactical jump successful, we lost the frigate facility in that last attack," Yuno reported, "100 percentcasualties."

"Dammit!" Eefrit yelled as the numbers came to mind. A few hundred excellent engineers had lost their lives. If they made it through this battle, he would have the grim job of reporting the news to the deceased' families.

That is, if the families were aboard the _Legacy_ during the Exodus. Such was their current situation. Losing this battle not only meant losing the war, but it would wipe out their entire civilisation.

Eefrit scarcely had time to reflect further when Yuno came in with more bad news.

"Emergency alert, hyperspace signatures detected behind the left flank! I am reading one _Sajuuk_-class vessel among them!"

"By the Gods," Eefrit uttered, "We can't fight a battle on two fronts, not when we're already having so much trouble with one front!"

"Do not worry, Eefrit," Karan's voice came in, "Leave the _Qwaar Jet_ to Kiir and I. However, I must trouble you to deal with the rest of the Progenitor fleet as well."

"My lady, that is more than enough," Eefrit assured, "I'll do my best with the Progenitor fleet, and you can just concentrate on getting rid of the _Qwaar Jet_!"

_"Allies, we have come to help."_

Eefrit recognised the voice, or voices, instantly. He was nearly weeping with joy when he saw the T-MAT fleet emerge from hyperspace between the struggling Alliance fleet and the advancing Progenitor fleet. Their numbers had not quite recovered from the Mythra attack, but it was all that the T-MAT could offer in this time of need.

_"Admiral Eefrit, we will hold off the Progenitor forces. Karan Sjet, go forth and engage the Third God."_

"I thank you for your assistance, T-MAT fleet," Karan replied, "May the Great Maker watch over us all."

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_:**

For the first time since the start of the war, the _Qwaar Jet_ opened communications with the _Sajuuk_. Karan was very cautious, taking care not to open the channel until she had tuned all her psychic defences to the maximum.

"I am Karan Sjet, leader of the Hiigaran forces and part of the Alliance you face today," Karan spoke strongly, "We will stop you at any cost, you monstrosity!"

"My my, what a fiery temper we have here…" the voice replied, "You've come a long way since we last met, Sajuuk-Khar."

Karan was alarmed when she heard the familiar voice. It was the same person who had tried to infect her and compromise the _Sajuuk_ back in Hiigaran orbit. She had assumed that the infected pilot was under the control of the Neo-Beast. Never had she expected him to BE the Neo-Beast.

"I will take great pleasure in tearing your pitiful resistance apart," Kaark continued, "And then I shall take your ship, along with the _Koshiir Ra_. So you see, uniting the Three Cores is nothing. It is uniting the Three Gods that matter!"

"You'll have to get past me first," Karan snarled as she powered up the _Sajuuk_'s Cores. Both ships flashed into hyperspace as Karan took them to a battlefield where _Qwaar Jet_ couldn't touch the T-MAT or the Alliance.

Both ships emerged from hyperspace on the outskirts of the Plaz nebula. As Kaark recovered from this surprise, Karan readied herself for the inevitable clash.

"Eefrit, Kiir, I leave things in your hands now," Karan whispered.

Then the Phased Cannon Array ripped into the side of the _Qwaar Jet_.


	36. Onerous Battle

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 36: ONEROUS BATTLE

* * *

**

"_The Three Gods were not made equal."_

_Koshiir Ra

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Ascension_, Northern Outer Rim:**

"Hyperspace exit successful, we have arrived at the Northern Outer Rim."

"Any hostiles within range?" General Tora asked nervously, "Are we perfectly safe?"

"We are alone, General," replied the sensors officer, "There's no hostile vessel within a light year of our position."

"Sir, our communications array is picking up tremendous signal activity further north," the communications officer reported, "It's too weak for us to determine an exact location, but it appears to be one heck of a battle."

"A battle?" Tora considered, "I wonder if this battle would have anything to do with the Hiigarans?"

"It may be possible, or it could be another trap laid by the entity."

"If it is another trap, we will fight our way through it," Tora decided, "After all, it's only a matter of time before we get ourselves into a battle we can't run from. Get us closer to that battle but keep us at maximum observation range."

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Outskirts of Plaz Nebula:**

The Phased Cannon Array ripped into the side of the _Qwaar Jet_ as Karan made the pre-emptive strike. Her sudden forced jump had most likely surprised Kaark, and so she grasped the resulting opportunity as soon as it had appeared.

The organic armor of the infected vessel buckled under the sheer power of the Array, but Kaark didn't stick around for long. The _Qwaar Jet_ quickly powered up its thrusters, shifting the ship out of the line of fire of the _Sajuuk_'s beam. As soon as the Array had powered down, the _Qwaar Jet_ fought back with a salvo of ion beams. The beams of ionic energy bent around through space and slammed into the _Sajuuk_, sending ripples through the protective energy shields.

Karan felt the _Sajuuk_ rock as the ion beams raked continuously across its shielded hull. Wasting no time, she put her next plan into action. The _Sajuuk_ blinked into hyperspace, reappearing right behind the _Qwaar Jet_. This time, the _Sajuuk_'s point defences fired away at the _Qwaar Jet_, but failed to do any real damage due to the energy shields that Kaark had put up in the nick of time.

Kaark's response was quicker this time, retargeting the ion warp turrets at the enemy behind. The ion beams bent around once again and slashed into the shielded prow of the _Sajuuk_. Karan struggled to maintain a good aim as the vermillion energy built up once more. Sensing the danger, _Qwaar Jet_ banked sharply to the right, the Phased Cannon blast missing its hull by mere metres.

"Nice try Karan, but if that's all you're capable of, I do assure you that defeat is imminent," Kaark mocked as he sent another ion salvo at the _Sajuuk_.

"Defeat? Referring to yourself now, aren't you?" Karan replied sarcastically as she jumped into hyperspace once again. Taking the _Qwaar Jet_ head-on was suicide – it had far greater coverage and firepower than the _Sajuuk_, so the only way was to hit and run using _Sajuuk_'s superior hyperspacing capabilities.

Dropping out of hyperspace, Karan surprised Kaark once again by turning up outside his ship's firing arc. Before he could begin retargeting, another round of nanite and ion pulses had shaved off a good deal of the _Qwaar Jet_'s energy shields. By the time he had retargeted, the _Sajuuk_ had entered hyperspace once again, the ion beams slashing harmlessly through empty space.

"Damn you Karan," Kaark fumed, "But let's see what you'll do once you're out of quantum juice."

"Don't worry, I have more than enough power to repeat this indefinitely," Karan lied as she returned to realspace and fired the Phased Cannon Array, achieving a partial hit. Kaark was right – she could only keep jumping for so many times. Once the Cores were drained, she'd have no choice but to fight the _Qwaar Jet_ directly in a duel that _Sajuuk _would most likely lose.

Karan knew she had to finish the _Qwaar Jet_ quickly, so she hastily unleashed another round of point defences into the enemy God before jumping. This time, the ion beams caught the _Sajuuk_ mere moments before it entered hyperspace, sending shield power into the yellow.

"By Kharak, I can't get too careless now," Karan scolded herself as she prepared for her next attack.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Eefrit, the left flank is collapsing," Yuno reported, "The Neo-Beast have achieved fighter superiority in that area."

"We'll have to risk it then," Eefrit replied as he reconsidered his options, "Reassign the fighters defending the rear to the left flank."

"But Eefrit, that will leave the carriers and the _Legacy_ completely exposed!"

"The Neo-Beast haven't touched the rear yet, so they're all safe for now," Eefrit explained, "Besides, if the left flank collapses, the Neo-Beast forces would be able to pour through the hole and mount a direct offensive on our centre forces!"

"Very well then, I shall relay the orders accordingly," Yuno responded as she updated the mission data. Within moments, the fighters and corvettes in the rear rushed forward to cover the faltering left flank from the Neo-Beast strike craft.

"I still don't think it's a good idea," Yuno said flatly, "While their capital ships can't reach the rear for now, they can easily send in fighter squadrons to attack the _Legacy_ and carriers! I seriously doubt if the _Iron Grip_'s weapons are designed for such an attack."

"Don't worry, remember that the _Iron Grip_'s gravity weapon can be reconfigured," Eefrit reassured, "You can just relax, _Iron Grip_'s more than capable of fending off a fighter rush. By the way, how are the T-MAT doing?"

"The T-MAT fleet is engaging the Progenitor forces with few casualties. They have been able to evade the Progenitor ships' attacks so far, it seems."

"That's a relief to hear," Eefrit commented, "If only _Koshiir Ra_ could be of more help…"

When _Koshiir Ra_'s distortion field power had halved, it didn't just allow half of the Neo-Beast's fire power to get through, but also allowed super capital vessels to smash through with minimal hull damage. Fighters and other smaller Neo-Beast ships would then follow in the rear, taking advantage of the temporary forced breach in the field.

The result was that Neo-Beast fighters could now swarm the Alliance fleet, forcing Alliance strike craft to switch to defensive tactics. Their initial attacking advantage had been overridden as a result.

Another multitude of explosions flashed around the left flank as fighters from both sides erupted in flames. Eefrit prayed silently for a miracle.

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Get back here this instant!" Elohim yelled over the channel, "_Horizon_'s repairs are not done yet!"

"Helm, set course for the main battle," Soban ordered, ignoring Elohim completely.

"Captain Soban! Turn back now or…"

Elohim was cut off abruptly as Soban closed the channel. The rest of the crew grinned at Soban, who shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Oh well, full power to distortion fields, and take us to full throttle."

The helm officer nodded and tapped a few buttons. _Horizon_ complied immediately and leapt forward at maximum speed. All around the battlecruiser, Alliance pilots paused momentarily to gawk in amazement at the showcase of technology.

When the battlecruiser reached the frontlines, Alliance forces cheered as the _Horizon_ fired off its rapid-fire ion cannons and pulse cannons, vaporising any Neo-Beast strike craft or frigate that dared to approach it.

"Captain, the Neo-Beast are responding to our presence," an officer reported, "Picking up several ships of heavy cruiser class on intercept course."

"No problem. Prepare to fire the Distortion Cannons on my mark!"

There were a total of seven heavy cruiser class assault vessels approaching the _Horizon_. All were bristling with heavy weapons that could easily take out frigates with ease. An ordinary battlecruiser would have thought twice before engaging such a squadron.

But _Horizon_ was no ordinary battlecruiser. The Distortion Cannons on the top and bottom of the ship glowed a brilliant blue before firing off the oscillating beams of pure quantum energy. The distortion beams slammed into two heavy cruisers, shattering their hulls in a matter of seconds. Before the beams dissipated from energy depletion, the _Horizon_ retargeted another two cruisers quickly, crippling both vessels' fighting capabilities.

"Battle report," Soban requested as the cannons began recharging for another blast.

"Two cruisers destroyed, another two disabled," came the reply, "The remaining three cruisers are opening fire, brace for impact."

Captain Soban held onto his chair in preparation for the attack. To his surprise, the _Horizon_'s distortion fields absorbed the blasts with scarcely a vibration.

"Sir, distortion field is holding at 95 percent, Distortion Cannons are fully recharged."

"Alright, finish the remaining cruisers!"

The oscillating beams leapt from the _Horizon_ again and touched two of the remaining cruisers. As the beam sent vibrations into their victims' hulls, the superstructure failed and gave way, sending the ships to a fiery end as their reactors blew. The last cruiser tried to retreat, but met a similar end as the beams retargeted and focused fire on its engines.

"Kiir's design is amazing," Soban commented, "I can't wait for the Hiigaran Navy to start upgrading to this new chassis."

Soban barked another order and the Hyperphase Drive kicked in, sending the _Horizon_ straight into the heart of the Neo-Beast fleet.

* * *

**Onboard the _Stargazer_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Your Majesty, the Neo-Beast is mounting a renewed offensive on the left flank," reported a general, "Hiigaran and Taiidan forces are having trouble holding off the attack."

"Then reassign our fleet to engage the enemy," Queen Dosis replied, "We have stayed back long enough."

"My Queen, that would not be wise. Why, our ships are not designed for such an…"

"The fact is that our allies need more than sensor assistance right now, and they will get it," Dosis countered decisively, "Relay the orders."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Queen Dosis turned back to the sensors screen. It was not a pretty sight – the Neo-Beast had discovered the weakness in the left flank and were diverting a large portion of their forces to strike at that point. Hiigaran Acolyte IIs were still struggling for fighter superiority and were unable to lend help to the stricken capital ships.

Hopefully, their presence would make a difference.

The Nalthoran frigates came within range and fired their mass drivers and light ion cannons in a bid to draw the Neo-Beast away from the Alliance defenders. The Neo-Beast responded with a flurry of firepower, pummelling dozens of Nalthoran frigates to bits within seconds. Dosis' heart ached when she saw the sacrifice, but kept her composure.

The Nalthoran distraction served its purpose, allowing the Hiigaran and Taiidan forces an opportunity to strike back. Another storm of ion beams and plasma bolts rained onto the Neo-Beast forces, which now struggled to fight a battle on two fronts.

Then the sensors started beeping wildly as an immediate danger was detected.

"My Queen, an infected Taiidan battlecruiser is advancing towards our position!"

"Full evasive manoeuvres," Dosis replied calmly, "Order our remaining capital ships to form a defensive wall."

The _Stargazer_ inched slowly away from the looming battlecruiser, whose path was blocked by a wall of Nalthoran frigates and destroyers. The Nalthoran ships tried desperately to stop the attack, firing all their weapons in a bid to disable the assault vessel. The battlecruiser simply fired its Energy Burst Cannon, shredding the frigates to pieces and knocking the destroyers out of its way.

Now the battlecruiser was mere kilometres from the fleeing _Stargazer_. The remaining Nalthoran destroyers and frigates peppered its outer hull with mass drivers and light energy weapons, barely scratching its armor.

Then another energy burst slammed into the _Stargazer_. Queen Dosis held on for dear life as the flagship shuddered under the assault. The bridge lights flickered and were replaced by dim emergency lighting.

"What's going on?" Dosis demanded as the officers around her struggled to regain control.

"Your Majesty, that last hit disabled our drives and caused massive feedback in our electrical systems," reported an officer, "We're dead in space!"

The ship shook again as the battlecruiser pummelled the _Stargazer_ without mercy. Their situation was perilous now, for another two infected heavy destroyers had joined the battlecruiser in ripping the Nalthoran flagship apart slowly. The rest of the Alliance forces were too tied up to help.

Then the unthinkable happened. A spike protruding from the front of the Neo-Beast battlecruiser glowed brightly and fired a multi-pronged infection beam at the _Stargazer_. The hull was hit in several places and the infection nanites began working instantly, burrowing into the metal and multiplying rapidly.

"My Queen, we've been hit by an infection beam!" cried the general, "Please get to the escape pod right away!"

"I will not leave this ship," Dosis declared, "What is the status of our hyperspace module?"

"Hyperspace module is fully charged."

"Jump us into the centre of the Neo-Beast forces," Queen Dosis ordered, "Stand by to initiate quantum cascade reaction!"

"But my Queen, you must live…"

"If I leave by escape pod, there will be no time to jump before the virus overruns all control," Dosis countered, "Now by order of your Queen, make the jump now!"

The general paused for a moment, then saluted his brave queen smartly. He tapped a few more buttons and sent the _Stargazer_ into hyperspace. Moments later, they emerged in the centre of the Neo-Beast fleet and were beset from all directions.

"_Emergency alert, control lost in decks 4 through 13, bridge subversion in 45 seconds,"_ chirped the computer.

"Safety protocols overridden, diverting all power to hyperspace module now," reported the general, "Hyperspace module overloading, quantum cascade reaction in 30 seconds!"

"This is Queen Dosis to all Nalthoran forces," Dosis announced in a channel, "It has been my pleasure in serving Nalthora. Do not despair at my death, for the _Stargazer_ cannot be saved. But when we go, we shall take the Neo-Beast with us!"

The channel erupted in an uproar as the rest of the Nalthoran fleet realised what Dosis was up to. Numerous commanders and officers transmitted to the flagship, beseeching the Queen to escape and preserve herself. Dosis simply ignored all their requests and shut the channel down.

"_Quantum cascade in 15 seconds,"_ the computer dutifully mentioned.

The rest of the bridge stopped what they were doing and stood smartly in salute. Dosis gazed at the glowing nebula, watching the Neo-Beast fire at them from all directions.

"Sorry Karan, looks like I won't get to try out those Core treatments of yours," Dosis whispered, "Goodbye."

"_Hyperspace module critical, quantum cascade imminent."

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Horizon_:**

"Captain, the Nalthoran flagship just hypered into the centre of the Neo-Beast fleet!" the sensors officer cried frantically.

"The hell is Dosis doing!" Soban yelled as he opened a channel, "Soban to Dosis, what are you doing?"

"It's no use Captain, they're blocking all incoming transmissions," replied the communications officer, "It seems that the ship is being taken over by an infection."

"Sensors are picking up an energy spike from the _Stargazer_, their hyperspace module is going critical!"

Before anyone could react, the _Stargazer_ disappeared in a mind-mangling explosion of quantum energy. The blue shockwave of the explosion reverberated outwards, shredding every ship that stood before it.

"Captain, sensors indicate we're on the outskirts of the projected maximum shockwave radius!"

"Get us out of here!" Soban roared, "Helm, emergency hyperspeed microjump now!"

The _Horizon_ swerved around and blinked to hyperspeed moments before the shockwave reached it. The great distance between _Horizon_ and _Stargazer_ meant that the shockwave would have lost much of its power, but Soban wasn't willing to take any risks,

The quantum cascade explosion continued to burn in space, the flames spiralling outwards and following the shockwave. The power it packed would have put a Siege Cannon to shame. Any ships that survived the shockwave were vaporised by the intense inferno.

_Horizon_ dropped out of hyperspeed once it reached the frontline of the Alliance fleet. Soban looked back and saw the cataclysmic explosion finally burning itself out. He still couldn't believe Dosis' decision to blow up the _Stargazer_ and herself in such a big way. Nonetheless, he respected her courage in making such a valiant sacrifice.

He stood smartly and saluted the dissipating explosion. The rest of his crew did the same in a mark of respect for the fallen Queen.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_:**

"By the Gods," Eefrit uttered softly as he watched the explosion dissipate in the void of space, "Queen Dosis…"

"I never expected the Queen to become a martyr," Yuno spoke, still in a shock over what she had seen on the sensors.

"Her sacrifice will not be in vain," Eefrit said as he returned his attention to the battle at hand, "The destruction of the _Stargazer_ gutted a considerable number of Neo-Beast ships."

"Indeed, sensors indicate the Neo-Beast are in a disarray over the explosion," Yuno reported, "Now would be the right time to retaliate."

"Then let's go kick some Neo-Beast butt!" Eefrit roared as he barked his orders to the fleet.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_:**

Karan heard Dosis' last words before the _Stargazer_ was lost. Her eyes brimmed with tears at the courageous act of the Nalthoran Queen.

"My my Karan, it seems your ally just perished in battle," Kaark remarked, "How unfortunate…"

"Make no mistake, Kaark," Karan retorted angrily, "That doesn't change my determination to destroy you and your minions!"

"Such harsh words… But look at yourself, do you seriously think that you can win me with the _Sajuuk_? As far as I know, _Sajuuk_ was not built for war…"

_"Sajuuk_ defeated your ship once!" Karan barked.

"Ah yes, of course, that Battle of Karos," Kaark noted, "But remember that _Qwaar Jet_ was in a rather inconvenient position. Lugging around so many tonnes of extra superstructure was bound to have an effect on its combat ability…"

"You will be defeated!" Karan almost screamed as she returned the ship to realspace and fired the Phased Cannon Array again. The vermillion beam cut straight into one of the _Qwaar Jet_'s focusing arrays, shattering the fragile structure completely. Kaark swore and retaliated, mustering all the ionic energy he could and sending all the beams into a focused point on the _Sajuuk_'s prow shields.

The ship's shields crackled and finally gave, exposing the _Sajuuk_'s hull to the focused might of what must have been at least a hundred rapid-fire ion beams. The vessel shuddered violently and swerved away under the force. Almost immediately, damage report dialogs began flooding Karan's consciousness.

"What a pity, my dear Karan," Kaark mocked as he moved in for the kill, "There goes your precious Phased Cannon Array. Looks like it will be YOU, who will be defeated."

But she was not defeated yet. Salvaging whatever power there was left in the badly-damaged _Sajuuk_, she pulled the mighty vessel into hyperspace once again. The ship emerged sluggishly from hyperspace behind the _Qwaar Jet_ and she forced the damaged Phased Cannon Array to fire again.

"_Warning, Phased Cannon Array has suffered moderate damage and cannot be activated."_

"Override safety protocols and fire!" Karan ordered.

The computers complied and the vermillion beam lashed forward once again, cutting deeply into the hull of the _Qwaar Jet_. Karan heard Kaark scream in agony and pushed more power into the Array. However, the beam flickered and died as the Array overloaded in a series of small explosions.

"_Alert, Phased Cannon Array critically damaged,"_ the computer reported.

"Damn it!" Karan yelled as she saw the helplessness of the situation. She had lost her trump card, the Phased Cannon Array. It was the only weapon the _Sajuuk_ had that was effective against the _Qwaar Jet_. Now, she had no Core power left and no more shields. All she could do now was watch helplessly as the _Qwaar Jet_ turned around to face her crippled vessel.

"Game over, Karan," Kaark whistled as he aimed the _Qwaar Jet_ at the smouldering _Sajuuk_. The crimson glow of the infection beam built up as it prepared to fire. Karan closed her eyes and braced herself, preparing for the assimilation…

"_Don't give up!"_

Karan opened her eyes with a start when Kiir's voice echoed in her mind. Then she saw the infection beam flare forward and halt halfway, stopped by a protective distortion field. She checked the sensors and saw the _Koshiir Ra_ emerging from hyperspace beside the _Sajuuk_.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Outskirts of Plaz Nebula:**

"Kiir Sjet!" Karan exclaimed, "What were you thinking? You just left the Alliance completely exposed!"

"No worries Karan," Kiir replied, "Eefrit's got that covered. The blast from the _Stargazer_ took out enough Neo-Beast ships for us to mount a counteroffensive. We've got the upper hand back now."

"By Kharak," Karan uttered in disbelief, "Queen Dosis, thank you…"

"Yeah, if it were not for her…" Kiir said, his voice trailing off as he turned his attention to the _Qwaar Jet_, "Now we just have to deal with this planet-destroying piece of scum."

"You overestimate yourself, Hiigaran," Kaark spoke in fury, annoyed by the sudden intervention of the _Koshiir Ra_, "Now I will take pleasure in infecting both your ship and Karan's."

"Sorry to burst your bubble then," Kiir replied determinedly, "Your planet-destroying quest stops right here, right now!"

Kaark swore and unleashed another salvo of ion beams at the _Koshiir Ra_. The attack was in vain as the distortion field deflected every last shot.

"Now it's my turn!" Kiir yelled as he powered up _Koshiir Ra_ for a fight to the finish. The distortion field changed shape to become an angular dagger, hurtling at high speed towards the _Qwaar Jet_. The surprised Kaark was barely able to evade, and lost another focusing array.

"Bet you didn't expect the Guardian to be used as a weapon, huh?" Kiir scowled as he plunged distortion field after distortion field at the _Qwaar Jet_. However, the _Qwaar Jet_ managed to evade every last attack as it used its own hyperspace module to generate a counter field to block the _Koshiir Ra_'s attacks.

"Most ingenious idea, Hiigaran," Kaark commented, "But your playtime ends here."

_Qwaar Jet_ swerved around and aimed directly at the _Koshiir Ra_, its main weapon glowing with increasing brilliance. Kiir realised what was going on and quickly retracted the distortion fields, wrapping the _Koshiir Ra_ in a protective bubble as the Quantum Pulse Cannon fired. The quantum energy slammed into the distortion field, spreading outwards in harmless shockwaves as the field absorbed the full force of the blast.

Kiir struck back, sending more distortion fields at the _Qwaar Jet_. However, the distortion fields sliced through empty space as the _Qwaar Jet_ jumped away. The corrupt God emerged right behind him, and the ion beams slashed away at the _Koshiir Ra_'s rear field.

The ship shook as Kiir swerved to evade the ions, but to no avail. The ion beams simply followed him wherever he went, slashing away continuously at the distortion field. Then the ship went into a spiral plunge as another quantum pulse slammed into it.

Swearing and cursing loudly, Kiir was now frustrated at the fact that _Koshiir Ra_ had no real weapons equipped. Then he heard Kaark scream in pain again as the _Sajuuk_ glided in, strafing the _Qwaar Jet_ with its point defences as it flew by.

"Kiir, now!"

Kiir complied instantly, sending a well-aimed quantum distortion flying towards the _Qwaar Jet_. The angular distortion field impaled the front of the _Qwaar Jet_, rending its cannon to shreds and splitting open its superstructure. Karan finished the job, sending another salvo of nanite beams and ion pulses into the exposed, vulnerable interior.

A wail of unimaginable agony echoed across the frequencies as Kaark felt his ship being torn apart. That was the problem of being the core mind of an organic neural network – being one with the ship brought up the issue of experiencing the ship's pain.

The scream cut off suddenly and the frequencies fell silent. Cautiously, Kiir withdrew the distortion field and moved into position beside the _Sajuuk_.

"Have we done it?" Karan asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"I don't know, it seems that we have…" Kiir replied.

Then the channel erupted with activity as Eefrit opened communications.

"Karan! Kiir! The Neo-Beast and Progenitor fleet just broke off the attack and entered hyperspace! They're headed for your position!"

"What?" Kiir exclaimed when he heard Eefrit's words. Sure enough, the ship's sensors began going crazy as the combined might of the Neo-Beast emerged from realspace before them.

"Kiir, prepare for battle!" Karan ordered as she powered up the _Sajuuk_'s point defences once more. Kiir prepared to do the same, but was stunned when he saw what the enemy ships were doing.

The infected Progenitor and Neo-Beast ships were _ignoring_ them, heading straight for the shattered structure of the _Qwaar Jet_. As the infected ships approached the _Qwaar Jet_, crimson tendrils shot out from both _Qwaar Jet_ and the infected ships, entangling in a seething mass of techno-organic growth. It didn't take long for Kiir to realise what was going on.

"By the Gods, the ships are merging with the _Qwaar Jet_!" Kiir exclaimed, "The ship's getting repaired!"

"Not just repaired, silly Hiigaran," Kaark's voice returned, stronger than ever, "This is the final evolution, and _Qwaar Jet_ will ascend!"

Kiir tried to stop the merging, sending more angular distortion fields hurtling towards the rapidly-recovering _Qwaar Jet_. Karan joined in, blasting away with the _Sajuuk_'s point defences. All their shots were blocked by Keepers and other infected capital ships swarming around the _Qwaar Jet_ in a protective barrier of metal. Soon, the mass of ships rearranged themselves into a massive formation around the _Qwaar Jet_, revealing the monster within.

_Qwaar Jet_ was fully repaired, and twice its original size. Instead of four quantum focusing arrays, the new ship now sported eight, protected by more than twice its original complement of ion warp turrets. The hull was no longer Progenitor metal covered by tendrils of the plague, but a pulsating organic mass of metallic flesh.

Karan and Kiir were horrified.

"Behold, my dear friends, Kaark began, Behold the true face of the _Qwaar Jet_!"


	37. Corrupt God

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 37: CORRUPT GOD

* * *

**

"_Qwaar Jet – God of Pain and Enslavement, The Torturer."_

_Religious scribes

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

The _Pride of Hiigara_, flagship of the Hiigaran Navy, was badly damaged. Flaming and smouldering in many areas, resource collectors and Workers now hovered around the various wounds, patching the torn armour as best as they could.

Admiral Eefrit noted the progress of the repairs, realising they'd need to move on in spite of the _Pride_'s damaged condition.

"Yuno, we can't delay this any longer," Eefrit sighed, "We need to assist Karan and Kiir right now!"

"You understand we will be at considerable risk?" Yuno reminded, "Why, hull integrity has barely been restored above 40 percent. The _Pride_ cannot afford to enter another battle like this!"

"We can win this battle but lose the war to the _Qwaar Jet_," Eefrit replied, "Besides, it's not just the _Qwaar Jet_ they're up against now, but all the Neo-Beast forces as well!"

"If that is the case, then I will relay the orders to the fleet," Yuno said, "But remember that we may not get out of this alive."

"I never imagined we'd make it through this far either, but I guess our luck will hold."

"I hope it does."

"Well then, Eefrit to fleet, stand by for immediate hyperspace jump to the nebula outskirts!"

The warning lights came on again, bathing the bridge in red. Everyone was fatigued from coordinating the intense battle they'd just had, but this was the last battle, the battle to end it all. Officer after officer returned to their posts, resuming their jobs with great spirit.

"Hyperspace module fully charged, the rest of the fleet has reported in. Initiating Synchronised Hyperspace Jump!"

The hastily assembled fleet halted in space, the blue windows of the quantum wavefronts opening before each individual ship. To Yuno's surprise, the windows flickered and collapsed rapidly.

"Alert, hyperspace jump failed, an inhibitor field has just enveloped us!" Yuno cried.

"Damn it, where's the source of the field?"

"Sensors are picking up Neo-Beast forces emerging from hyperspace dead ahead," Yuno reported, "Both Progenitor and subverted forces have combined in formation."

_"To deal with the Plague ships and Progenitor vessels together will be a difficult task,"_ echoed the collective voice of the T-MAT, _"We would advise you to attack with caution."_

"I can imagine that," Eefrit replied, "But still, we need to get some help over to Karan and Kiir somehow."

"I can help," Captain Soban's voice came in, "_Horizon_'s Hyperphase Drive is unaffected by inhibitor fields."

"But it's just one ship…"

"Remember that _Horizon_ is no ordinary battlecruiser," Yuno reminded, "It will have to do for now."

"Very well then. Soban, assist Karan and Kiir. And please don't get yourself killed in the process!"

"No worries, I won't go down that easy," Soban reassured, "I'm off, Soban out."

Eefrit watched as the _Horizon_ swerved away and jumped to hyperspeed. He whispered a silent prayer for Soban before turning back to look at the reorganised Neo-Beast forces.

"Alright then. All forces, engage and destroy!"

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Outskirts of Plaz Nebula:**

"The hell," Kiir swore loudly, "You're supposed to be dead dammit!"

"Then you underestimate the prowess of we, the Neo-Beast as you so termed," Kaark answered, "It is all a matter of regeneration, wouldn't you agree?"

"Kiir, whatever it is, we have to stop Kaark now," Karan spoke, "The Neo-Beast forces have jumped away. It's just us and the _Qwaar Jet_ now."

"Ah, Lady Sjet, do you really think you can take me on now, especially in this Ascended Form?"

"Ascended or not, it won't change the outcome," Karan spat, "Kaark, you're going down now!"

"On what grounds? That it is Two Gods versus One?" Kaark replied, chuckling slightly in amusement, "Don't you know that sometimes, numbers don't matter?"

No sooner had Kaark finished did the _Qwaar Jet_ glow brightly, its ion warp turrets powering up one by one. Then a mighty shower of pure ionic energy sprayed forth from each and every turret on the corrupt God. Kiir scarcely had time to put up a distortion field around both _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_. Even then, both ships rocked violently as the ion beams sent ripples coursing through the field.

"Sajuuk damn it," Kiir cursed, "Those ions are way stronger now!"

"Don't worry, we can still bring him down," Karan reassured, "Now, I'll pull the both of us in and out of hyperspace. Attack whenever there's an opportunity!"

"Got it!"

Another shower of ion beams blasted away from the _Qwaar Jet_, but not before both _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ vanished into hyperspace.

"Hit and run again, Karan?" Kaark laughed, "The same trick doesn't work twice you know…"

The _Koshiir Ra_ began emerging from hyperspace behind the _Qwaar Jet_, but was assaulted viciously by another salvo of ion beams even before its quantum wavefront had receded completely. If not for the distortion field, _Koshiir Ra_ would most probably have been damaged badly.

"Karan! It's not working!" Kiir cried, "He can track our hyperspace trajectories now!"

Karan didn't manage to reply, for the second salvo whacked the prow of the _Sajuuk_ like a sledgehammer. Despite being shielded by _Koshiir Ra_, the _Sajuuk_ reeled like it had taken an uppercut to the jaw. Kiir tried to counterattack, but was forced to defend himself when another shower of ion beams was sent his way.

"Karan! Are you alright?" Kiir asked anxiously, even as he struggled to maintain the distortion field around both ships.

"I'm fine, thanks to your shield," Karan replied dazedly, "I must admit I didn't expect such a change in circumstances."

"Well, we need another plan, and we need it now," Kiir spoke urgently as the _Koshiir Ra_ took another salvo of ion beams, its superstructure shuddering under the assault.

"There's nothing I can do, I'm afraid," conceded Karan, "_Sajuuk_'s Phased Cannon Array is offline, and the point defences won't be much good against _Qwaar Jet_'s regenerative ability."

"I don't believe this!" Kiir yelled as more ion beams rained down upon the crackling distortion field. He attempted to counterattack, but Kaark negated his attempts by focusing the ion beams, collapsing the dagger fields before they could even get close.

"Give it up, Hiigaran," Kaark spoke again, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "You two are not winning this."

"Over my dead body, Kaark," Kiir snarled as he yanked the _Koshiir Ra_ into hyperspace with the Grand Core, dropping back to realspace on top of the _Qwaar Jet_. He suffered the same outcome – _Koshiir Ra _was knocked back by a shower of ion beams even before it had exited hyperspace completely.

"Look, it doesn't matter what Core you're using," Kaark laughed, "Grand Core or Far Jumper, I can see you all the same."

"Damn you Kaark!" Kiir roared as he channelled his rage into the _Koshiir Ra_'s computers. The ship responded by exploding the distortion field outwards, pushing the ion rain away. Kiir saw his chance and fired off another dagger field, only to have it evaded as the _Qwaar Jet_ leapt to hyperspace. Moments later, _Qwaar Jet_ emerged from hyperspace behind the _Koshiir Ra_ and fired off its Quantum Pulse Cannon. The direct hit pushed _Koshiir Ra_'s stretched shields to their limits, flinging the ship away like a toy.

"Kiir!" Karan cried as she brought the _Sajuuk_ in, firing every point defence weapon there was at the _Qwaar Jet_. The living ship swallowed up the shots effortlessly, the tiny wounds healing over within seconds. Then Kaark returned fire, sending the _Sajuuk_ reeling.

Both ships quickly stabilised themselves, then moved into formation beside each other.

"Kiir, none of our attacks are having any effect whatsoever," Karan admitted in dismay, "We can't even scratch him now!"

"I know, I'm trying to think of something…" Kiir replied, frowning in deep concentration. Another ionic attack forced Kiir to return his attention to the battle.

"The only thing I can think of now is that we use our Cores to generate secondary distortion fields. If we can keep those ion beams away, we might get a chance to mount a joint attack."

"But how?"

"Synchronise the secondary field frequency with that of the _Koshiir Ra_'s primary fields," Kiir explained, "That ought to strengthen the primary fields enough to keep those ions from knocking us back."

"Whatever you say, commencing field generation now!"

The protective field around both ships shimmered and glowed more brightly as the Grand Core and Three Cores reinforced its power. Kaark took no notice and let loose yet another salvo of ion beams. This time, the ion beams were deflected harmlessly with no noticeable recoil.

"Kiir, your plan's working!"

"Great, now we CHARGE!" Kiir roared as he powered up the _Koshiir Ra_'s drives to full throttle. Karan followed suit, the _Sajuuk_ streaking through space alongside the Guardian. Kaark seemed to realise what they were trying to do, and fired off all the ion warp turrets in one synchronised shot. The beams converged on a single point on the reinforced field, causing a massive explosion of energy that quickly dissipated along the outer edges of the field. Still, both ships continued to approach the _Qwaar Jet_ at high speed.

"Let's give it everything we've got!" Kiir hollered as he generated several dagger fields simultaneously and flung them in _Qwaar Jet_'s direction. Karan too fired off all the _Sajuuk_'s point defences, the bullets and ion pulses flying alongside the dagger fields. The combined attack crashed into the _Qwaar Jet_, ripping off layers of armour but failing to do any real damage.

"What a pitiful attack," Kaark commented, "You two are just like insects to me, and I will now crush you both!"

_Qwaar Jet_'s hull pulsed and writhed momentarily before spurting a mass of crimson tendrils. The tendrils combined to form huge thick tentacles, which shot towards the hurtling ships.

"By the Gods," Kiir uttered, "Karan, stay clear!"

But it was too late. The _Koshiir Ra_ shuddered violently as the tentacles slammed into the distortion field and wrapped round both ships tightly. Both Gods came to an abrupt halt, paralysed by the mass of organic tentacles now wrapped around the distortion field. If it were not for the field, they would probably have been infected and crushed by the sheer force.

"Now I have you both," Kaark laughed again, "It's only a matter of time before your distortion field fails. Then, I will unite the Three Gods!"

"Oh yeah?" Kiir retorted, pushing the _Koshiir Ra_'s field generators to their limits. The distortion field glowed even more brightly and pushed outwards, but the tentacles merely grew thicker, preventing the field from expanding any further. Karan tried to use _Sajuuk_'s point defences to shoot down the tentacles, but she could not outdamage the tentacles' regenerative capabilities.

"It's no use Kiir, we're trapped," Karan sighed, "There's no way we can free ourselves now."

"Damn it!" Kiir swore as he slammed his fists down on the console before him.

* * *

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Fields of Plaz:**

Another shudder gripped the bridge of the _Merciless_, while a flare in a viewscreen signalled the death of a Taiidan battlecruiser. Admiral Ecron wasn't sure if his forces could take the beating for much longer, but they couldn't back out now – not when the rest of the Alliance fleet was also fighting for their lives.

"Admiral, we've got major hull breaches in decks 13 through 15! Drive power down by 30 percent!"

"Seal all bulkheads and divert repair bots to breached areas," Ecron ordered, "What's the status of our fleet?"

"Capital ship forces have been halved, and we're left with a third of our original strike craft complement" replied the sensors officer, "Sir, we can't keep up this attack forever."

"Open communications with the _Pride_," Ecron replied, raising the communications microphone to his mouth, "_Merciless_ to _Pride_, come in please."

"Eefrit here, what's the problem Ecron?"

"Our forces are getting badly beaten up, I hope you've got a plan to get through this."

"I'm sorry Ecron, but we're too tied up to help. Just try and hold out as long as you can."

"If that's the case, we'll do our best," replied Ecron in a gruff tone, "No guarantees though."

Ecron closed the channel and gripped his console as the bridge shook under another attack. The joint attack by the Progenitor forces and Neo-Beast ships was hard to fend off, as the Keepers were able to distract the Alliance fleet long enough for the Neo-Beast ships to come in and start infection sprees. A good number of ships had already been lost not to infection, but to excessive use of the Naar Directive.

They could certainly use another quantum cascade explosion.

"Ecron to Engineering, can you prepare to eject the hyperspace module?"

"Engineering here, why do you want to do that for?"

"I was wondering if you could overload the module, then eject it into the Neo-Beast forces."

"It wouldn't work, quantum cascades stop once the power source is removed, came the grim reply, We'd still need a ship to power the module."

"Damn!" Ecron swore, closing the channel. Alarms went off again as an infection beam streaked across the hull of the flagship. In a bid to counter the infection, drive plasma flared through the infected hull, burning off the viral nanites.

"Sir, hull integrity at 38, the next hit'll put us out of commission!"

"Pull us back from the main battle," ordered Ecron, "We can't risk the flagship any further."

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_:**

Kiir watched the distortion field crackle and shrink slowly around them. The pressure was so great that the field was losing power at an incredible rate. Once the field gave out, they'd become food for the virus.

"Feeling scared now, Hiigaran?" Kaark chuckled, "That barrier of yours is slowly fading away now. Watch it disappear bit by bit…"

"Just shut up," Kiir growled. He'd close the channel if he could, but Kaark had somehow found a way to force the audio channel to stay open.

"Think about it, infection isn't as bad as you think. Once the nanites get under your skin, you'll just feel a slight tingly sensation before losing consciousness. Quite a pleasant way to die, isn't it?"

"I'd kill myself before I suffer that fate," Kiir replied, "There's no way I'm letting you take this body intact."

"But it doesn't look like you've got a choice now, have you? Both Karan and you are trapped, with no hope of escape…"

"Even if you take us both, the Alliance'll finish you off," Kiir said bravely, "I'm sure they're mopping up that fleet of yours even as we speak right now."

"Quite the contrary, Hiigaran. In fact, even if they win, they'll just make excellent fodder for this ship of mine…"

It was then that Kiir felt it – something coming towards them. He tried to dismiss it as a false alarm, but his telepathic power simply roared back. Checking the hyperspace sensors, he found nothing. Yet, his senses told him the object was travelling at trans-light speeds. No ship could do that, except for…

"… And then once I'm done with your Alliance, I'll devour the rest of this Galaxy and move on," Kaark concluded, "So you see, you lose this war completely."

"I don't think so," Kiir replied, a smile forming on his lips.

Kaark suddenly howled in agony as the _Horizon_ dropped out of hyperspeed with weapons blazing.

* * *

**Onboard the _Horizon_, Outskirts of Plaz Nebula:**

"Direct hit to the _Qwaar Jet_ confirmed," reported the sensors officer, "Sensors registering moderate damage to the outer hull layer."

"Excellent, now let's show the Neo-Beast what we're really capable of," Captain Soban whistled, "Target the tentacles and fire Distortion Cannons!"

The weapons officer punched a few buttons and the ship responded efficiently. The turrets aimed at the massive tentacles and fired the quantum distortion beams. The oscillating rays slammed into the tentacles, the shockwaves and vibrations tearing them apart from inside out. Then the entire organic mass tore apart in a display of splattering remains as it succumbed to the combined stress of the Distortion Cannons and the resisting distortion field. _Sajuuk_ and _Koshiir Ra_ wasted no time, swerving away from the _Qwaar Jet_.

"Captain Soban," Karan's voice came in over the channel, "Good save there, we owe you one."

"It was my duty," Soban replied, "Now how should we deal with this thing here?"

"Lay suppressing fire with the Distortion Cannons and evade those ions as best as you can," Kiir interjected, "We'll do the rest."

"Then let us bring down Kaark once and for all!" Karan cried, the _Sajuuk_ moving into formation with the _Koshiir Ra_ and _Horizon_.

The three ships now faced the wounded monster.

It was now or never.


	38. Divine Wrath

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 38: DIVINE WRATH

* * *

**

"_Koshiir Ra – God of Protection, The Guardian."_

_Religious scribes

* * *

_

**Onboard the _Merciless_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Admiral, we need you to get off the ship now," the security chief urged, "It's too dangerous to stay any longer."

"Organise all capital ships into formation around the flagship," Ecron ordered, ignoring the concerned officer, "Focus fire on the Progenitor vessels."

"Sir!"

The bridge shook as a series of heavy missiles slammed into the failing hull of the flagship. More consoles blew apart as the electrical feedback overwhelmed the circuit breakers. As the last missile plunged into the ship, the lights on the bridge flickered and dimmed.

"Admiral, we will not allow you to sacrifice yourself like Queen Dosis did," emphasised the security chief, now signalling to his fellow officers, "If you do not wish to leave, then I'm afraid we'll have to remove you by force."

"You dare defy the orders of your commanding officer?" Ecron demanded, "I am in charge here, and as captain of the _Merciless_ I will go down with the ship!"

"Sir, your death will greatly affect the morale of the Taiidan fleet. The Nalthorans are already struggling to battle even with the death of their Queen. For the sake of this battle and the Alliance, we cannot afford to let the Taiidan fleet end up the same way."

Admiral Ecron sighed and turned back to the viewscreen. The view of the battle was already dimming and flickering as feedback damage took its toll on the computers and sensors. His security chief had a point – reduced morale in the fleet could cost them the battle.

"Admiral, I apologise for my actions, but I must now invoke my right as Chief of Security," the chief remarked as his fellow officers walked up to Ecron, "We're taking you off right now."

"Very well, I will comply," Ecron responded, halting the officers and indicating he would leave of his own will. He glanced around at the rest of the bridge, and the few surviving officers that remained saluted the Admiral.

They would stay on, continuing to command the Taiidan fleet in Ecron's place until _Merciless_ could take no more.

Ecron returned the salute with great respect for the brave officers under his command. Then he was quickly rushed off the bridge towards the waiting frigate.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

They were in deep trouble now. So many gashes and breaches dotted the _Pride_'s hull that it was a wonder the whole layer hadn't shattered yet. The monolithic mothership was edging slowly away from the main battle, its main drives barely breathing from taking so many weapons hits. Workers and resource collectors continued to swarm around the _Pride_, keeping the vessel intact as long as they could.

"Yuno, is there any way we can jump now?" Eefrit asked, hoping for some good news.

"I'm afraid not, there's still at least a dozen Keepers around," Yuno replied distractedly, her mind working overtime to manage both a space battle and emergency repairs, "The fleet's focusing fire on the remaining Keepers now."

"Great, who would've thought they'd be so hard to kill," Eefrit muttered as he gave another order to the _Pride_'s battlecruiser escort.

"Eefrit, I'm picking up a distress beacon from the _Kuun Lan_," Yuno reported, her voice filled with dismay, "Commander Inya Somtaaw and the rest of the crew is evacuating."

"They've fought exceptionally hard in this battle," Eefrit commented, "Get all nearby ships to assist in the evacuation at once!"

"Don't worry, General Qwaar is leading the _Paaura_ in to pick up the evacuees."

Eefrit watched as the _Kuun Lan_, now aflame in many areas, was abandoned. It must have received damage so severe that even its Somtaaw crew, renowned for their courage and sometimes suicidal tactics, had decided to evacuate. Frigates leapt out of the hangar module and escape pods shot out from the sides of the ship's hull.

A series of explosions tore through the engine module, causing it to break away from the rest of the ship. The reactor shielding must have failed, and the massive reactor explosion would take place soon.

It was then that Eefrit noticed the Siege Cannon glowing with increasing intensity. His jaws dropped open at the sight – the Somtaaw actually had the time to set it on automatic fire in such a tense situation.

Then the cannon discharged its plasma payload, a final gift from the dying command ship. The sphere of fire plunged into the heart of the enemy fleet, vanishing in a flare of light as it ignited and released its lethal shockwave. Almost simultaneously, the _Kuun Lan_'s reactor went critical and engulfed the rest of the ship in its fiery conflagration. Both Eefrit and Yuno's hologram saluted the last moments of the loyal command ship.

"How the hell do we win this…" Eefrit's voice trailed off as he witnessed the death of another legendary Hiigaran ship.

"We'll win it alright," Yuno reassured, "That last siege blast took out more Keepers, we're left with only three to take down now."

The _Pride _shuddered as it was hit by another rain of mass drivers and plasma bolts, reminding Yuno and Eefrit that they too were not far from a similar fate.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Outskirts of Plaz Nebula:**

"You know what, Karan Sjet," Kaark spat, "You and the rest of your brethren are really getting on my nerves."

"That's no way to speak to a lady," Kiir retorted, "And for that, we're gonna kick your butt really badly!"

"I will personally watch the entire procedure," Karan noted.

"Well well, still not giving up, then I guess it's time for ALL of you to die!" Kaark roared as he finally cut the communications channel, sparing them all from any more of his complaints and sarcasm.

"He finally decided to shut up," Kiir muttered, "Karan, you'd better stay in the rear and give those repair systems a chance to fix the PCA. Soban, both of us'll move in to take the _Qwaar Jet_. Got it?"

"Roger that Kiir."

"I'll do as you say," Karan acknowledged, "But please be careful, he's almost fully recovered from the previous attack!"

Sure enough, the wounds inflicted by the _Horizon_'s entrance had nearly healed over completely, leaving only minor craters that were shrinking at a remarkable speed. Kiir knew then that defeating Kaark was going to take much longer than he had expected.

"Looks like we'll have to hit him hard and quickly," Kiir said as he readied himself for their counterattack, "Soban, you ready?"

"Just give the go ahead."

"Then let's go!" Kiir yelled as he pushed the _Koshiir Ra_'s drives to their limits. A storm of plasma erupted forth and pushed the massive vessel towards the corrupt God before them. _Horizon_ followed closely behind, its weapons fully charged and ready to fire.

_Qwaar Jet_ greeted both ships with a salvo of ion beams. The beams were now a blinding white as Kaark pushed the ion warp turrets to operating capacity, causing a dazzling display of light on the _Koshiir Ra_'s protective field.

Kiir saw their chance and quickly pulled up, the _Koshiir Ra_ making way for the _Horizon_ behind it. Soban wasted no time with his orders, and every ounce of _Horizon_'s weaponry pounded into the front of the _Qwaar Jet_. Kiir's mind was immediately assaulted by a telepathic roar of pain as the Distortion Cannons did their work.

A building glow of blue quickly gave away Kaark's next move. _Horizon_ banked sharply away moments before the Quantum Pulse Cannon fired, the blue shockwave of quantum energy tearing through space.

Even as the _Horizon_ evaded the attack, the ion beam and pulse cannon turrets came online, firing away as the battlecruiser swerved to the side of the _Qwaar Jet_.

"Nice dodging there, Soban," Kiir complimented as he fired off a few dagger fields at Kaark's ship.

"Thanks Kiir, I suppose we should maintain the pressure on _Qwaar Jet_?"

"Yup, just keep sustaining fire on any part of the _Qwaar Jet_ you can reach."

Kiir was forced to end the conversation when ion beams raked across the bottom of the ship, causing shockwaves to pulsate through the distortion field. Glancing at the _Qwaar Jet_, he was delighted to see that his dagger fields had done considerable damage – knocking out one focusing array and disabling a group of ion warp turrets.

Kaark was definitely having trouble dealing with two aggressive targets. One was slow but heavily shielded, while the other was vulnerable but highly mobile.

In an act of desperation, more ion beams flared out from the smouldering hull of the _Qwaar Jet_ in a bid to repel the two attackers. _Koshiir Ra _was unfazed while _Horizon_ dodged most of the attacks, its own distortion field taking care of the rest.

"Kiir, your plan is working," Karan reported, "_Qwaar Jet_ can't heal in time thanks to the continuous assaults!"

"Good to hear that Karan," Kiir replied, a grin forming on his face, "How's the PCA repairs coming along?"

"I should be able to get it back online within 15 minutes, but it'll take twice the amount of time to recharge. These repairs are only temporary, you know."

"Temporary or not, a PCA on our side would be a good idea. Well, I've got to get back to work!"

_Koshiir Ra_ jumped into hyperspace, returning to realspace right below the _Qwaar Jet_. The ionic salvo assaulted _Koshiir Ra_'s field, knocking the ship away. But Kiir wasn't worried – it was meant to be a distraction.

_Horizon_ swept in and fired off its Distortion Cannons again, ripping off another focusing array and puncturing massive craters in _Qwaar Jet_'s organic hull. Kaark was subject to so much pain that this time, his voice ripped across everyone's minds. Kiir recoiled slightly as his telepathic abilities meant that the voice was greatly amplified, but quickly recovered and fired off more dagger fields.

The distortion fields ripped through space and plunged deep into the hull of the _Qwaar Jet_, causing the organic material to spurt and rip apart. The entire vessel seemed to writhe in agony as its regenerative abilities were overwhelmed by the two-pronged assault.

Then all of the _Qwaar Jet_'s remaining focusing arrays powered up and shimmered a brilliant blue. Moments later, a double quantum pulse exploded from the ship in the direction of _Koshiir Ra_. Kiir gasped and pushed every ounce of power there was into the distortion field and prayed as the blast hit.

The quantum assault flung the ship away, its distortion field barely holding under the massive attack. As the gyros struggled to compensate, Kiir caught a glimpse of the _Qwaar Jet_ escaping to hyperspace.

"Karan! Kaark's getting away! Pull him back right now!" Kiir yelled, hoping Karan would do so in time.

But it was too late. The _Qwaar Jet_'s quantum wavefront closed behind it and all traces of the ship vanished from sensor view.

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Eefrit, the _Merciless _is going critical!" Yuno exclaimed as the sensors told her the bad news.

Eefrit whirled around to see the exact same scene of the _Kuun Lan_ playing out before him – escape pods jettisoning into space, frigates and resource collectors frantically trying to get away…

The hull ruptured as drive plasma poured from within, then the massive Taiidan flagship succumbed in a flash of vermillion.

"By the Gods, Eefrit to Ecron, come in please!"

The Hiigaran admiral waited for a response, but there was none.

"Ecron! Please come in damn it!"

Eefrit, no one wanted for it to happen… Yuno tried to calm him down, but to no avail.

"Sajuuk damn it all! Everyone's dying out here and we still can't stop this hideous plague!" Eefrit exploded as his emotions surged beyond control. Yuno was about to console him again when the sensors started spitting out emergency alerts. A quick check revealed the worst.

"Priority alert, _Qwaar Jet_ is emerging from hyperspace! Fleet, full evasive manoeuvres!" Yuno barked as she saw the yellow quantum wavefront slide back completely before them.

Now the _Qwaar Jet_ hovered in space directly in front of the _Pride of Hiigara_. It was badly damaged from its previous encounter, but still a very real threat to the outcome of the battle. Yuno braced herself for the inevitable, only to see the _Qwaar Jet_ manoeuvre and move the tip of its main cannon away from the _Pride_.

"Huh? I don't get it – they had a clear shot at us, why didn't they…"

Sensor scans quickly revealed a worse scenario – ion beams were tearing into the _Qwaar Jet_'s surface, and those ions were coming from the _Iron Grip_, the battlestation making a desperate stand against the mighty God. Behind it, the _Legacy of Kharak_ tried to flee along with the rest of the carriers and non-combat vessels.

Yuno was speechless, but Eefrit was already up and barking new orders to the fleet.

"Admiral Eefrit to all Hiigaran ships, the _Legacy of Kharak_ is under threat," he bellowed urgently into the channel, beads of cold perspiration sliding down his face, "Cover the _Legacy_ at all costs!"

His order was actually redundant, for Hiigaran ships were already dashing to the scene even before the announcement went out. _Iron Grip_'s Gravity Core was of no use – it had been reconfigured to trap any Neo-Beast fighters trying to attack the non-combat vessels, allowing defensive turrets to track and eliminate the ensnared fighters. Now it looked set to become a costly tactical error.

The ion cannons blazed away, stripping away layers of organic armour from the looming _Qwaar Jet_. The God took no notice, moving on as though the _Iron Grip_ were some insignificant disturbance in its path. Then the battlestation's emitters came online, a massive repulsor shockwave spiralling outwards and slamming into the _Qwaar Jet_. This time, the God took notice, for the supercharged repulsor caused parts of the ship's hull to buckle and tear inwards.

_Qwaar Jet_ decided to show the battlestation how ion cannons _really_ worked. Its array of ion warp turrets powered up and showered the _Iron Grip_ in a lethal rain of ionic energy. The battlestation's armour, while tough by galactic standards, was no match for the combined might of several dozen ion beams striking simultaneously. The _Iron Grip_ lit up momentarily as the ion rain enveloped the station in brilliant light, then the damaged portion blew apart. As the light faded away, a good quarter of the station was gone with chunks of debris careening outwards.

The _Qwaar Jet_ moved on, the battlestation's weapons now silent from the crippling blow it had suffered. Yuno and Eefrit could only watch helplessly as it descended upon the fleeing ships. By now, the Hiigaran fleet had reached firing range and was trying its best to draw the God's attention away, but to no avail.

Another salvo leapt forth from the _Qwaar Jet_, the beams of white energy charging towards the _Legacy_. The mothership would have been gutted by the assault had two carriers not plunged in at the last minute. The super capital vessels erupted in balls of fire as the ion beams pierced their armour and shattered them completely from the inside out. Even then, a few ion beams got through, scorching across the hull of the _Legacy_ and damaging the engines.

The Hiigaran fleet was now flinging itself desperately at the _Qwaar Jet_, doing whatever they could to stop the corrupt God. Frigates and fighters alike plunged themselves into the _Qwaar Jet_'s hull in kamikaze attacks, while battlecruisers and destroyers unloaded their arsenal at the massive ship. Their attempts were in vain, for the _Qwaar Jet_ simply healed itself from whatever wounds they could inflict on it.

"Eefrit, the _Qwaar Jet_ is powering up for another wave! The _Legacy_ cannot withstand an ionic attack of that magnitude!"

"Damnit! The inhibitor fields are still up, there's no way we can jump in or anything…" Eefrit's voice trailed off as the ion warp turrets came online and let loose another salvo. Eefrit winced as he watched the ion beams plunge towards the hapless _Legacy_…

"Sorry for the delay, people!" Kiir's voice boomed over the communications system as the ion beams slammed and exploded against the _Koshiir Ra_'s invisible barrier.

Eefrit and Yuno heaved a collective sigh of relief.

* * *

**Onboard the _Sajuuk_, Fields of Plaz:**

"_Phased Cannon Array basic repairs in progress – estimated time before completion: two minutes."_

The computer's voice echoed through Karan's consciousness as she rallied every repair automaton there was to the main cannon. _Sajuuk_ was a useless piece of junk unless she could get the main cannon back online.

The other way was to meld with the ship as the Great Progenitor Sajuuk once did in the Battle of Karos.

However, the means of doing so still eluded her.

Meanwhile, Kiir Sjet had been maintaining a spirited assault on the _Qwaar Jet_ with the assistance of Captain Soban and the rest of the Hiigaran fleet. The rest of the Alliance had graciously taken up the task of dealing with the rest of the Neo-Beast forces without complaint, and she was grateful for their help. The Hiigaran fleet would do all it could to assist the Alliance, but for now, there were more pressing matters, like trying to fend off the threat of mass extinction.

"Karan! How much more time before the repairs are done?" Kiir asked urgently, "The Grand Core's energy reserves are depleting fast!"

"Just maintain the attack for another minute or so, the repairs are nearly done!" Karan responded, willing the repair process to go faster but to no avail – _Sajuuk_ could allocate no more resources to the job.

"Very well, I'll do what I can. Once you get the PCA up and running, just fire away! Kiir out."

The transmission ended and Karan watched the battle intensify before her eyes. _Qwaar Jet_ was now flinging ion beam after ion beam, and quantum pulse after quantum pulse, at the distortion field around the _Koshiir Ra_ and _Legacy_. Kiir couldn't do anything to fight back, for maintaining the field against such a vicious assault was pushing _Koshiir Ra_ to its limits. Occasionally, the God would fire off a dozen ion beams at the _Horizon_, which was now taking damage without the resilient protection of _Koshiir Ra_'s field. Nonetheless, the smoking battlecruiser continued to sweep around the ship, firing off all its weapons in a dazzling array of light and energy.

The Hiigaran fleet was more desperate than it ever was now, with every ship in its disposal now surrounding the _Qwaar Jet_ and firing away. Fighter pilots continued to plunge their ships into the God's hull, exploding their reactors against the pulsating organic armour. Frigates would have done the same, but Eefrit had given stern orders not to do so – their firepower could not be sacrificed.

Slowly but steadily, the combined assault took its toll on the _Qwaar Jet_. For every wound that healed over, another two were opened in other places. For every severe breach that tried to heal, a fury of attacks would plunge in and inhibit the healing process.

"_Basic repairs complete, Phased Cannon Array online, recharge rate reduced by…"_

Karan didn't wait for the computer to finish. She aimed the prow of the _Sajuuk_ at the side of the _Qwaar Jet_ and gave the mental order. The vermillion energies built up and travelled along the sides of the ship, converging on the Array itself. Then the _Sajuuk_ recoiled slightly as the beam lanced forward, ripping through the organic hull and armour plates of the evil God. Almost immediately, the lights around her cubicle flickered as Karan squeezed every last bit of power from the _Sajuuk_'s reactors.

"_Alert, Phased Cannon Array output reaching dangerous levels, initiating safety interrupt…"_

"Override safety protocols!" Karan's mind screamed as she powered down every last nonessential system to get more power. The computer obliged and the lance of light grew in diameter, becoming brighter as it gained more power.

Finally, _Sajuuk_ and _Qwaar Jet_ were linked by a lance of energy so blindingly white it would have seared off the corneas of anyone trying to gaze directly at it. The beam was now so powerful that it burned all the way through and emerged from the other side in an explosion of light. Even Karan could scarcely believe her eyes.

The white beam began to waver as the Phased Cannon Array reached its limit, flickering and thinning as the _Sajuuk_'s main gun gave out. The light finally dissipated completely, dimming the battlefield to its original state.

_Sajuuk_'s prow was now blackened and aflame, completely overloaded from the stunt Karan had pulled.

"_Phased Cannon Array critically damaged, basic repairs in progress. Estimated time to completion: Indeterminate."_

Karan sighed in disappointment, but she had done a great deal of damage in that one blast. _Qwaar Jet_ was now badly gutted and bleeding muck in space. Its ionic assaults became infrequent and weaker, and quantum pulses were no longer fired.

"Accursed… woman…" Kaark muttered in agony over a transmission to Karan.

"You deserve it, Kaark," Karan replied in a frosty voice, watching Kiir power up a distortion field for a last assault.

The dagger field flew forward and smashed through the _Qwaar Jet_, shattering the remnants of its badly damaged superstructure. The entire ship split into five chunks, spiralling away from each other and spewing massive quantities of organic mush. Karan blocked Kaark's scream from her mind as it echoed through space.

Then the _Sajuuk_ shuddered violently as the full wrath of the Neo-Beast forces were inflicted upon its shields. Wasting no time, Karan set a course and leaped into hyperspace. As the ship emerged beside the _Koshiir Ra_, tense transmissions started coming in.

_"Karan Sjet, the Neo-Beast forces have broken through!"_ The T-MAT reported, "_They are ignoring our fire! Bewarned, Sajuuk-Khar!"_

"Fleet, engage the Neo-Beast," Karan ordered, her crystal clear voice reverberating through the Hiigaran Navy, "Leave nothing alive."

Explosions ripped through the battlefield as the Hiigaran Navy responded, raining their mightiest weapons down on the advancing Neo-Beast fleet. Strangely enough, their shots were ignored as well. Keepers and capital ships were vaporised by the attack, but the Neo-Beast continued to push on. Despite their rapidly dwindling numbers, the Neo-Beast did not fight back.

"Karan! Look where they're headed!" Kiir warned, "They're going straight for the _Qwaar Jet_'s wreckage!"

"Don't tell me Kaark's going to revive again!" Karan exclaimed in sheer disbelief.

Kiir didn't reply, for he quickly projected a distortion field around the five pieces of the _Qwaar Jet_. He would not allow the insane thing to be resurrected again, not after what they had all gone through.

The Neo-Beast fleet paused, contemplating the field for a few moments. Then they went straight for the _Legacy of Kharak_, firing everything they had at the Hiigaran mothership. Kiir did what they expected him to do – he diverted field power to protect the _Legacy_, causing the field around the _Qwaar Jet_ to weaken.

Then the Neo-Beast fleet proceeded to pummel all their attacks into a single point on the _Qwaar Jet_ field, sending waves of disruption through the weakened field. Kiir realised what they were doing and tried to recalibrate, but the field breached and opened a temporary hole.

That was all the Neo-Beast needed.

The field quickly closed, demolishing the ships that threw themselves against it. But a number had already gotten through. The capital ships charged forward, the chunks of the _Qwaar Jet_ powering up their thrusters and moving towards its meal…

The next moment, ion beams exploded outwards, slamming into the spherical distortion field. Kiir struggled to contain it, and failed miserably, the field exploding outwards and dissipating under the attack.

Kaark and _Qwaar Jet_ had revived _again_.

"I'm sorry Karan, I did my best, but there wasn't enough power left…" Kiir explained apologetically.

"It's alright Kiir, even the Gods wouldn't have the power to sustain such a long battle," Karan replied softly. "She too could not believe that all their efforts had come to nought."

"It takes much more than that to bring me down you know," Kaark laughed haughtily over the channels, "You have done everything in your power and failed miserably."

For once, Karan couldn't help but agree with Kaark. They had done everything they could, thrown everything they had at the _Qwaar Jet_, and still…

"_The Three Gods were not made equal."_

Karan was startled by the sudden voice. It was unmistakable.

"Koshiir Ra!"

But there was no response.

* * *

**Onboard the _Koshiir Ra_, Fields of Plaz:**

He was fatigued. Never before had he controlled a ship and all its functions for such a long battle.

And now…

"Looks like the Two Gods are nothing much, so I suppose it wouldn't matter if I couldn't unite the Three," Kaark spoke, "So it's time to end it all!"

The _Qwaar Jet_'s focusing arrays glowed and focused their energies into a single point. A small distortion field came into existence, and within it, a tiny point of black grew from nothingness.

Kiir knew immediately what it was.

The could flee now if they wanted to, but it wouldn't matter. Kaark would muster more Neo-Beast ships and pursue, hunting them down one by one.

It was then that he picked up an energy spike from the _Sajuuk_. The Three Cores were synchronising and emitting a tremendous amount of energy. He couldn't believe what the sensors were telling him.

"Karan! What's going on? I'm picking up an anomalous energy spike from the Three Cores!"

Karan didn't respond, but the energy spike continued to soar beyond dangerous levels.

Kiir sighed and closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts on Karan. Within moments, he made the leap from _Koshiir Ra_ to _Sajuuk_, quickly accessing whatever cameras there were in Karan's command room.

The images flickered on, revealing Karan suspended in her cubicle with cables trailing from her head. Her eyes were closed in fierce concentration.

A mighty force caught hold of Kiir, who squirmed feebly in its grasp. With a sudden gust of energy, he found himself back in the _Koshiir Ra_. Kiir quickly recovered from the surprise and tried to get back, only to find himself locked out from the _Sajuuk_.

"Karan! What in Kharak's name are you doing?" Kiir yelled indignantly into the channel.

"Kiir, this is our last hope," Karan spoke, her words slow and fatigued, "This is all I can offer now."

"What do you mean?"

"I leave everything in your hands now…" Karan murmured as she slipped into unconsciousness from the strain.

_Koshiir Ra_'s systems were suddenly awash with power. Pure quantum energy flooded through the field generators and a mighty distortion field sprang up around the ship. To Kiir's surprise, all that energy was coming from the _Sajuuk_'s Three Cores alone. However, there wasn't much time left – the energy was already starting to fade as quickly as it had come.

He had only one shot at this.

"Farewell, puny Hiigarans," Kaark spoke as the quantum singularity shot forward, heading straight for the _Koshiir Ra_ and the rest of the Alliance ships behind it.

Kiir watched the black hole approach them, and took a deep breath. With tremendous effort, he focused all of the _Koshiir Ra_'s field strength into a localised field. At the same moment, the black hole connected with the field.

Gravitational fury swept across the battlefield as the singularity reached out, trying to drag all matter within reach into its infinity of nothingness. Strike craft lost control and spiralled towards the black hole while capital ships struggled to maintain position. All would have been lost had the distortion field not wrapped itself around the singularity in a neat and tidy sphere. The fingers of gravity were cut off and the battlefield returned to normality.

With one last mighty effort, Kiir flung the distortion field back at the _Qwaar Jet_, which was now halfway through its hyperspace entry. The quantum wavefront closed just as the distortion field opened up, releasing the black hole as it expanded to wrap around the original position of the _Qwaar Jet_. Almost immediately, the quantum wavefront reopened and unceremoniously dumped the _Qwaar Jet_ back in realspace.

Kiir smiled tiredly as he heard Kaark scream in unimaginable agony, his ship and self being torn apart and compressed beyond measure by the sheer gravitational forces. The singularity continued to pull, ripping the _Qwaar Jet_ into more pieces than Kiir could count. One by one, the shredded metal and organic metal plummeted into the heart of the black hole, vanishing into oblivion.

And then, only the black hole remained.

_Qwaar Jet_ was gone.

The singularity, having just gulped down a ship of considerable mass, continued to pluck away at the distortion field holding it in place. Kiir fought back, holding the field together. It was all he could do to stop the black hole from getting out to devour them all.

After what seemed an eternity, the black hole finally shrunk, the fabric of space time healing over the point of darkness. A ripple in the fabric of realspace was all that remained.

Kiir let go, mentally drained from the encounter. The distortion field faded, as did his consciousness.


	39. Last Wishes

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**CHAPTER 39: LAST WISHES

* * *

**

"_Sajuuk – He Whose Hand Shapes What Is, The Great Maker."_

_Religious scribes

* * *

_

When he opened his eyes, he had expected to see the grey, metallic interior of the infirmary. Instead, the clear cerulean of the skies above flooded into his sight.

Not a bad way to wake up.

Kiir sat up and stretched himself, releasing a loud yawn as he shook off the last bits of drowsiness. Looking around, all he could see were fields of green grass stretching towards the horizons. The meadows themselves pulsated with life, stroked gently by the passing breezes that made their way across the land lazily.

He was one soul in an emerald sea of infinity.

"How did I get here, I thought Hiigara was gone?" Kiir murmured in wonder, still awestruck by the wondrous scene before him. Indeed, the Great Plains of Hiigara were one of the most beautiful wonders in the Galaxy, with miles upon miles of green splendour that would have made a Kharakian weep.

"Hello? Is there anyone around here?" Kiir yelled into the distance, his hands cupped around his mouth. He heard the sound of his own voice grow softer until it was stolen away by the winds. Sure enough, there was no reply. In fact, he expected it – there was no one to be seen for miles around.

Shrugging his shoulders, Kiir decided to look around for someone. Perhaps there would be a town nearby, or even a city. Then he could get through to Hiigaran Fleet Command or something.

His footsteps were light, as if they were made buoyant by the refreshing breezes. Kiir strolled leisurely across the vast fields. There was no hurry – after all, that he was somehow back on Hiigara meant that the terrible war had ended in an Alliance victory.

On and on he walked, his footsteps seeming to make little difference. Yet Kiir was undaunted by the sheer distances, for the gaps between the stars were far greater.

And then he saw a tiny silhouette standing on the horizon. Hastening his footsteps, Kiir approached the tiny figure, which loomed bigger as he walked on. Very quickly, the silhouette came into clear focus, and Kiir recognised the person instantly.

It was Karan Sjet, but her head was not bald. In fact, it was covered by long jet-black hair that flowed in the wind.

Kiir yelled for her, but was surprised when no sound emerged from his mouth. He yelled more loudly, only to have his voice respond with silence.

Karan turned around, smiling at Kiir. She held out her hand, gesturing for him to come forward. Kiir tried to move, but his feet were now rooted in place. He struggled and pulled against his feet, but the invisible force held him back.

He yelled at Karan again, who was now growing smaller as she moved slowly into the distance. He could not speak, or even move. All Kiir could do was watch helplessly as Karan disappeared into the horizon…

* * *

Kiir Sjet awoke with a yelp, the dream fresh in his memory. This time, he found himself on a bunk in a grey metallic room.

Disorientation hit him smack in the head. Visions of the _Qwaar Jet_ getting sucked into the black hole flashed before his eyes, the entire ship breaking apart under the gravitational stress. Kiir groaned as the visions faded and his head began throbbing.

Then the doors slid open and a doctor came in, his timing immaculate. Kiir recognised the Hiigaran immediately as the Chief Medical Officer of the _Legacy of Kharak_.

"Kiir Sjet, it's good to see you conscious at last," the Chief Med exclaimed, a look of relief washing over his face.

"How long was I out?" Kiir asked, his head still throbbing badly.

"It must have been the toll of operating a ship for so long," the Chief Med suggested, "You were out for a full week."

"A week?"

"Yes, but don't worry, the war's over now."

"The war… we defeated the Neo-Beast?"

"It's all thanks to your efforts," laughed the Chief Med, "You're a hero now you know. By destroying the _Qwaar Jet_, the surviving Neo-Beast ships were leaderless and disorganised. Mopping them up was a piece of cake."

"Where are we now?" Kiir asked as he tried to get to his feet but wobbled back onto the bunk, "I must see Eefrit and Yuno… and Karan! Karan, is she alright?"

Kiir looked up, only to see the Chief Med's face darken. The doctor remained silent, trying his best to avoid Kiir's gaze.

"Doctor? What's wrong? What happened?" Kiir demanded, trying his best to ignore the pain stabbing away in his head.

"It's… it's nothing," the Chief Med replied softly, "What you need right now is rest. When you're fully recovered, all will be revealed in due course."

With that, the doctor slipped out of the room as quickly as he could, the doors closing shut behind him.

Kiir was annoyed by the doctor's secrecy. Willing the pain away with all his mental strength, he placed his hand upon the intercom beside his bunk. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and concentrated. When the scientist opened his eyes again, he was standing in the _Legacy_'s virtual world.

Seconds later, an exasperated Yuno warped in right beside him.

"Kiir Sjet! What are you doing?" Yuno demanded, "You're supposed to be resting, not logging into the system!"

"Cut the crap Yuno," Kiir calmly replied, "I need to know what's been going on."

"Well, all you need to do now is rest and get well," Yuno chided, "That said, it's time for you to…"

"Yuno, please," Kiir repeated, staring Yuno squarely in the eyes. He saw Yuno hesitate, as if the revelation would spark off a series of consequences.

"Yuno?"

"I guess there's no hiding it then," Yuno admitted with a sigh, "It's a long story…"

* * *

**Onboard the _Pride of Hiigara_, Fields of Plaz:**

"Eefrit, _Horizon_ is leading the battlecruisers in now," Yuno reported with a tone of relief in her voice, "They will deal with the last of the infected frigates."

"So that means the Neo-Beast are gone for good now," Eefrit replied, leaning back to relax in his chair, "Any updates on Kiir and Karan?"

"Kiir's out cold, probably due to the prolonged operation of the _Koshiir Ra_. As for Karan, med teams are on their way to the command core. We should figure out what's wrong in…"

The bridge turned red once more as the sensors started warbling angrily. Eefrit jumped out of his chair, while Yuno quickly checked the alert. She gasped in shock.

"Priority alert, space-time anomaly detected, stand by for dimensional shockwaves!"

Eefrit scarcely had time to grab onto a support before the shockwaves hit. The _Pride_ swung about like a boat in a storm, the lights flickering as the shockwaves did more damage to an already badly-injured ship. The viewscreens dimmed as they showed a trans-dimensional rift opening before the fleet. Yuno and Eefrit gasped in horror as the Mythra Sphere flung itself into realspace.

The Sphere was good as new, all traces of its previous battle completely erased from its surface.

_"Targets of opportunity acquired, stand by for neutralisation of Enemy Vessels,"_ the computerised voice boomed as the Sphere opened and spewed forth dozens of ships.

"Martyrs of Kharak," Eefrit uttered as he watched the ships move into attack formations, "Eefrit to fleet, engage the Mythra attackers! _Koshiir Ra_ and _Sajuuk_ must be defended at all costs!"

Obeying his orders with immediacy, the Hiigaran fleet flung itself forward. They were soon followed by the Taiidan, the Nalthorans, the T-MAT, and the rest of the ships that had survived the Neo-Beast battle.

All were smouldering from severe wounds. While they had the advantage of numbers, the outcome was uncertain, given the tip-top condition of the Mythra vessels.

Explosions tore across the desolate battlefield as both sides fired their first shots. In the previous encounter, the Mythra had attacked only Progenitor vessels, ignoring all other ships except the T-MAT, whose firepower had made them a credible threat. Now the Mythra was firing upon any ship standing in their way. Apparently, they now regarded every opposing ship as a threat to their mission.

The first wave of Alliance defenders were completely wiped out, their damaged vessels unable to withstand the firepower of the Mythra fleet. The Mythra ships pushed on to meet the second wave, which survived longer because their weapons were still retargeting. Once the Mythra had retargeted, the second wave was vaporised instantly as well.

They stood no chance against a fully-prepared and undamaged attacker.

"They're getting slaughtered out there!" Eefrit cried, "Sajuuk damn the Mythra, damn those opportunitists!"

"Eefrit, sensors are picking up additional hyperspace signatures," Yuno reported, "But I can't get any clear readings, there's too much interference."

"Where are they headed?"

"I can only narrow down the exit area to be somewhere behind the Mythra fleet," Yuno replied, trying her best to coordinate the battle and react to this new development at the same time, "I can't get a lock on their exact signature frequency either."

"Well, I suppose we'll figure out soon enough," Eefrit muttered as he saw a squadron of Mythra frigates go down under combined fire. It was a minor victory that was quickly eclipsed by the coordinated destruction of a dozen Alliance capital ships.

The Mythra fleet came closer and closer, impervious to the assaults that the crippled Alliance fleet could fling at them. T-MAT and Bound vessels alike succumbed in blinding explosions as their badly-damaged hulls collapsed under the onslaught.

Then the Mythra reeled as they were attacked from nowhere. Mass drivers and ion beams fired out from empty space, slamming into the artificially-intelligent vessels and pushing them back. The Mythra fired back, their shots passing harmlessly through empty space.

"Attention Hiigaran fleet," the voice of General Tora cut in, "We of the Tobari have come to assist."

"The Tobari?" Eefrit spat in disgust, "Is this another one of your grand schemes to steal our ships?"

"Do not misunderstand our actions, Hiigarans," Tora responded, "We have been watching your great battle against the Third God, and hold you in great respect for your victory. Rest assured we will not commit hostile actions against your forces."

"You deceived us once, we're not going to fall for those diplomatic words again!" Eefrit retorted, his voice seething with anger.

"If you do not believe my words, then let our actions prove our worth and sincerity," Tora replied as the channel closed.

"Eefrit, the Tobari general is probably speaking the truth," Yuno suggested, "After all, they could have boarded us easily anytime they wanted to, but they're not doing so."

"I only hope you're right Yuno," Eefrit conceded, returning his gaze to the viewscreen. Thanks to the intervention of the Tobari, the Mythra advance had been halted.

Eefrit's eyes widened in fear and shock when he saw the Sphere aim its main cannon, the aperture glowing with the deadly crimson light.

"Crap, everyone, outta the way!" Eefrit yelled just as the crimson blast left the Sphere. The blast blazed through space and detonated in the middle of the frontline defenders, incinerating everything within range in its lethal crimson glow.

The glow dissipated quickly and the Mythra pushed through the hole, having obliterated a good portion of the Alliance and invisible Tobari forces. Carriers rushed forward to place themselves between the Mythra and the Gods, while the last Somtaaw command ship _Paaura_ powered up a Siege shot.

"Eefrit, the med teams have reached the _Sajuuk_'s command core," Yuno exclaimed in a panic, "But Karan's locked them out!"

"What!"

"Karan's locked down the command core. They're trying to burn their way through now, but it's going to take considerable time…"

"The hell is Karan doing?" Eefrit yelled as the _Paaura_ fired off its Siege Cannon. The plasma sphere was dodged easily enough by the nimble Mythra ships, which moved calmly out of the blast radius moments before the sphere ignited.

"Emergency alert, sensors are registering an energy spike coming from the _Sajuuk_!" Yuno reported in an alarmed voice, "Karan's in no condition to do that right now!"

"Eefrit to Karan, abort whatever you're trying to do, you can't do that in your current state!"

"I… am… fine, Eefrit," Karan returned, her voice weak and slurring, "Don't… worry… about… me…"

"By the Gods! Karan, please stop!" Eefrit begged desperately, but to no avail.

"I… will… end… this…" Karan uttered painfully as she closed the _Sajuuk_ to all communications.

The _Sajuuk_ turned to face the approaching Mythra forces, which were now firing upon the God with all their weapons. Plasma bolts bounced harmlessly off the reanimated energy shields as the _Sajuuk_ moved into position.

A mighty hum resonated through the fleet as the Core section of the _Sajuuk_ glowed brightly, the shapes of the Three Cores blazing like three stars embedded in the ship. Energy levels continued to rise, knocking sensors out of commission as they overloaded from studying the event.

It was then that it happened – each and every Mythra ship was surrounded by a halo of vermillion quantum energy, immobilising them. Eefrit felt the _Pride_ shake as the fabric of space time was bent and warped, the glowing Mythra ships becoming like tiny stars scattered before them.

The Sphere fired off another crimson blast in a desperate attempt to stop the attack, only to have the crimson blast surrounded and contained in another quantum sphere. The Sphere turned to jump away, but was halted when a similar glow enveloped it.

Now the battlefield was as bright as the Balcora region, lit up by the glowing fleet of the Mythra. _Sajuuk_ was brightest of them all, shining like a dazzling star in the darkness. The glow intensified until it was impossible to look at, the brightness far beyond the tolerance of any eye.

Then the light died away suddenly as the Mythra ships erupted in flames, exploding into balls of fire that flickered away quickly in the vacuum of space. The Mythra Sphere itself shattered into dozens of chunks that spiralled outwards from the mighty explosion within, torn apart by the quantum energies focused at its centre…

* * *

"… That was how we defeated the Mythra," Yuno concluded, "But it came at a heavy price. We lost a good 95 of our fleet as a result of the Neo-Beast and Mythra battles, and the _Sajuuk_ itself was badly damaged by the quantum event it had initiated. In fact, the Three Cores themselves were nearly burned out."

"I see," Kiir nodded, absorbing all the information, "What happened to Karan?"

"Karan? Well, she…" Yuno stuttered, reluctant to reveal the whole truth to Kiir.

"What happened," Kiir asked again, "I must know, I insist."

"Kiir, the truth that you seek… can you handle it?" Yuno questioned.

"Well, I've got to know what happened to Karan," Kiir explained, "You know that if it were not for her, I couldn't have stopped the quantum singularity attack."

"Well then Kiir," Yuno sighed, tears forming in her eyes, "I think it's best that you ask the Chief Med…"

* * *

**Onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_, Ruins of Hiigara:**

The massive mothership hung silently in space, orbiting where there used to be a lush green planet that was sought after for eons, a planet which started a war that changed the galaxy forever, a planet at the epicentre of the Vaygr invasion.

The remnants of Hiigara drifted through space, gazed upon sadly by the _Legacy_ and the tattered remains of her fleet. Yet the Hiigarans were not mourning for the loss of their planet.

"You mean there's no way to save her?" Kiir almost screamed, his voice filled with horror at the news he had just received.

"The mental stress was just too great, she pushed herself too far this time," the Chief Med admitted helplessly, "The stress and electrical feedback caused the neural links to melt down in her brain, causing extensive tissue damage. There's nothing I can do at this point…"

Yuno's hologram was weeping uncontrollably, while Admiral Eefrit, Captain Soban and General Qwaar maintained a silent vigil by Karan's bed. They too were on the verge of tears, but they held their emotions in check with all the willpower they could muster.

Throughout the Hiigaran fleet, officers, pilots and engineers were all mourning the critical condition of their matriarch, the intrepid lady who had united their race a century ago in an epic journey home, the courageous Fleet Command who had persevered during the Siege of Hiigara, the loyal Karan Sjet who had given her all to save the Galaxy.

"There's got to be something you can do!" Kiir screamed in defiance, refusing to accept the reality placed before him, "Ask the T-MAT, the Taiidan, the Nalthorans! Someone out there has got to have a way!"

The Chief Med shook his head sadly. They had consulted the other galactic races on Karan's condition as well, but even the advanced T-MAT had expressed regret – not even they could save Fleet Command from her imminent death.

"You can use Yuno's consciousness transfer technology, can't you?" Kiir asked desperately, now clinging to every bit of hope there was, "You can simply upload her into the databanks like Yuno, and then redownload her once she's cured, right?"

"It's no use, sir, the damage done to her brain is too great," the Chief Med explained, "The neural links would interfere with the transfer process, and a successful transfer is only possible if her psyche is whole and well."

"No…" Kiir uttered as he collapsed beside Karan's bed, devastated by the prognosis. There was just no way out of this one. Every means of saving her could not be used.

"Maybe…" Kiir muttered as another idea entered his mind, "Maybe I can upload her consciousness manually… I can get in telepathically and lead her to the databanks…"

No Kiir! Yuno objected, In her current condition now, any form of telepathic interference would be far too dangerous!

"Indeed. The lady's already clinging on as best as she can," the Chief Med added, "Any telepathic attempt could well be lethal."

The doctor's last words didn't reach Kiir, for he was already shattered beyond measure. For the sake of saving their existence, and the entire Galaxy, Karan had just sacrificed her life to _Sajuuk_. It was just like the ancient Kharakian days as recorded in the historical archives, where sacrifices to Sajuuk were commonplace before the peoples became more civilised.

"She's coming to… Chief, Karan's coming to!" Eefrit exclaimed as he saw Karan's eyes flutter open slowly. Almost immediately, Kiir and the Chief Medical Officer rushed to her side, their eyes filled with concern.

"My lady, please don't exert yourself," the Chief Med insisted, "Please rest."

"Karan! You're going to be okay, I know you will," Kiir spluttered, "It's just a matter of time, you'll get better…"

Karan gazed at Kiir, her eyes telling him to stop comforting her. Kiir quietened down, and the room fell silent. Karan took a few slow breaths, gathering what little strength she had, her pale lips quivering.

"… Kiir…" she whispered weakly, "… Give… me… your… hand…"

With tremendous effort, she raised her right hand and offered it to Kiir. Kiir looked at her and the rest, who were nodding in agreement. Taking a deep breath, he grasped the cold shivering hand.

* * *

Kiir was face-to-face with Karan once again in the same green fields he had found himself in earlier. Karan smiled at Kiir, whose face was wracked with sorrow and disbelief.

"Death comes to all one day," Karan spoke softly, "The Three Cores have given me more than I could have asked for."

Kiir remained silent. He didn't know what to say to her. All the emotions running through him, sadness, defiance, even anger, they were making him confused. He didn't know how to react to the situation at all.

"All I ask of you now is to grant my last two wishes," Karan whispered, her voice getting fainter with each passing second, "I understand your abilities would allow you to do that."

"I'll do whatever I can," Kiir replied, gritting his teeth in sadness and anger at his own helplessness, "I'll do whatever is within my power."

Karan nodded, pleased with Kiir's response. She then opened her mouth to speak again.

"Establish a link between my mind and the _Sajuuk_, that is my first wish," Karan revealed.

"A mental link?" Kiir gawked, "Karan, you're in no condition…"

"Please grant it," Karan asked weakly, "Consider it a last wish of a dying individual."

Kiir looked down, thinking over Karan's words. As it was, communicating telepathically with Karan was dangerous, much less a full-fledged mental ship-brain link in her current condition. He looked up and saw the pleading look in Karan's eyes, which were now slightly wet with tears.

"… I'll do it," Kiir agreed.

"Thank you," Karan beamed as she began fading away, alarming Kiir.

"Karan! You can't go yet, you haven't told me your second wish!" Kiir cried, trying to grasp her and hold her, only to have his fingers pass through her now ethereal form.

"My second wish, you will know when the time comes," Karan said as she vanished completely, leaving Kiir alone in the fields and severing the link.

* * *

Kiir opened his eyes to see the Chief Medical Officer attending urgently to Karan. Her eyes were closed once more and medical instruments were beeping loudly. Medics rushed in with surgical kits and syringes as they struggled to deal with the sudden complication in Karan's condition.

"Neural activity becoming erratic!"

"Blood pressure going down!"

"We're losing her!"

"Up the saline drip immediately to maintain pressure!"

Kiir watched the scene play out before his eyes. He felt so disconnected from this reality now, it was almost as though he were watching a make-believe drama performance.

A massive surge of quantum energy alerted his telepathic senses, alarming Kiir. Yuno too was surprised when the _Legacy_'s sensors began detecting quantum anomalies.

The _Legacy_ shuddered, sending Eefrit, Soban and Qwaar running to the nearest viewscreens, which flickered on almost immediately.

They were cowed by the magnificent miracle taking place before them.

_­Sajuuk_ had powered up, breaking away from its docking position with the _Shipyard Naabal_. It was still blackened and in no condition to do anything, especially after its incredible stunt back in the Plaz Nebula. However, the Three Cores were glowing once again with a sparkling brilliance that had never been seen before.

Hyperspatial rifts were opening all around them as the power of the Three linked the Hiigaran System to many other regions of space. As the rifts stabilised themselves, rocks and asteroids began tumbling through, along with streams of gases and dust. The debris all drifted through space at high speed, guided by the hyperspatial fingers of the _Sajuuk_.

The Hiigaran Ruins were also caught up by this mighty force, the surviving chunks and debris moving and colliding into each other. Flashes of quantum energy lit up the surrounding space as asteroids were forced together and comets were merged. The larger pieces soon collided and merged to form even larger pieces, and new gases from the rifts were now collecting around the asteroid storm in a light mist.

Hiigara was being reformed.

The process quickened as the Three Cores pumped out even more energy, the quantum forces causing the collisions to happen more frequently. By now, there was a good-sized moon where Hiigara was supposed to be, and a large asteroid at where the Angel Moon would orbit the planet. Both celestial objects grew at an astounding rate as debris and asteroids plunged down into the surface.

Barely eight minutes later, the new but barren planet was nearly the size of the old Hiigara. As the growth of both planet and moon slowed drastically, the entire planetary surface was enveloped by a layer of quantum energy. Seconds later, the continents took shape and the oceans filled as the mechanics of hyperspace artificially accelerated the passage of time around the planet.

The growth had stopped by now, and the remaining debris was quickly warped into hyperspace back to where they originally came from. Faint patches of green appeared and spread as plant life evolved at an astounding rate. Millenia passed in seconds and eons passed in minutes as the Three Cores worked their mysterious magic.

Then the quantum glow faded slowly away as the Three Cores powered down. The Core section of the _Sajuuk_ was now completely black and cracked, the Cores themselves burned beyond repair.

And there was Hiigara in all its former glory.

It was a moving sight to behold for the Hiigaran fleet, and there was hardly a dry eye from the viewing of the miracle.

Kiir himself was silent as he watched the _Sajuuk_ power down for the last time.

Now he knew why.

Now he knew why Sajuuk was termed the Great Maker.

He Whose Hand Shapes What Is.

_Sajuuk_ had not been built purely for war, or for transport alone.

It was the power of Creation.

It is easy to destroy, but much harder to build. _Sajuuk_ could thus probably be termed the essence of the Progenitors' knowledge.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Karan fighting for her life, the doctors and medics struggling to keep her alive.

Now he knew her last wish.

In all her travels in the Galaxy, there were only two places which Karan held dearly in her heart.

One was Hiigara.

Wasting no time, Kiir closed his eyes and focused on the _Koshiir Ra_, concentrating on the Grand Core within. He was going to need all the jump power he could get for this one.

He didn't know how he was going to get there, though. _Faal Corum_'s team had been working on extrapolating the planet's location, but all their efforts had come to nought when the ship was destroyed.

He would just have to go with the gut instinct he had as a descendent.

He focused hard and the _Legacy of Kharak_ shot into hyperspace.

The blue streams of hyperspace streaked past the ship as they tore away from Hiigara, from the Hiigaran System. Yuno herself was alarmed by the sudden hyperspace jump, and called out to Kiir. But Kiir ignored her completely, focusing purely on the task at hand.

He maintained an unwavering mental link with the Grand Core, willing it to push them forward, willing it to push them faster.

"Clear!" the Chief Medical Officer yelled as he attempted to resuscitate Karan. An electric current ran through her limp body, causing her to jolt upwards and fall back into the bed.

They had just reached 2 billion times the speed of light and were quickly approaching the 3 billion mark, the supposed operational limit of the Grand Core.

But it wouldn't nearly be enough – it would still take them a few minutes, a few minutes that Karan did not have.

Kiir roared as he pushed the Grand Core even further, the _Legacy_ hitting the ceiling of 3 billion and staying at that speed, refusing to go any faster.

Karan's heartbeat sprang back, but it was a weak pulse that accompanied her rapidly deteriorating neural activity. Her brain wasn't going to make it.

This time, Kiir gave everything he had, punching the Grand Core with the nuclear equivalent of a mental command. The streams of hyperspace around them warped and bent, becoming wobbly as the hyperspace itself tore apart.

The _Legacy_ blasted through, and dropped back to realspace with a sickening lurch. Kiir lost the mental link and slumped to the floor, mentally spent.

Karan's eyes fluttered open one last time. When she saw the stark desert planet before her, she smiled a last smile.

She was home.


	40. Epilogue: New Era

**HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS**

**EPILOGUE: NEW ERA

* * *

**

Karan's passing shook the Hiigarans down to their very cores, for she had done so much for the people she loved, the place she called home.

It had all begun with an urgent situation regarding the Mothership's computers, whose woes were solved with Karan's brave volunteering to become its living core. Neither she nor her people had expected a tumultuous struggle for survival to follow. The destruction of Kharak forced her to unite the Exiles' spirits as she led them in a war across the galaxy, a war for Hiigara.

A war for their Homeworld.

Even after Hiigara was reclaimed, many troubles remained. Countless lives were lost in the subsequent Imperial invasions, a result of the galactic civil war that had fractured the old Empire. The Galaxy's very existence was then threatened by the techno-organic virus known as the Beast.

And then the End Time arrived.

The Vaygr put all previous wars to shame as they swept across the Galaxy, invincible and unstoppable with their Third Core. Once again, Karan took up the task of uniting the Hiigaran people in an epic voyage through the most ancient and unexplored regions of the Galaxy. Her courageous leadership allowed the Hiigaran Navy to triumph both at Balcora and the final battle over Hiigara.

Yet the _Eye of Aaraan_, thought to be a tool of peace, turned out to be the spark in a new war that would decimate much of the known Galaxy. Nevertheless, Karan persevered, unlocking the secrets of the Three Gods and giving her all to save both the Galaxy and her people.

Karan had passed away peacefully, her final wish fulfilled. After more than a century, she had finally returned to the place of her birth, the only other place she treasured more than even Hiigara.

Kiir Sjet, another hero in the Wrath of the Gods, decided to have Karan buried in a special location in the great desert – the location of the _Khar Toba_ and the Guidestone. That place was no more though, having been completely erased by the Taiidan bombing save for a few scraps of cracked metal.

The funeral was observed with the heaviest of hearts, with delegations from the surviving Galactic cultures paying their last respects from Kharakian orbit. There were the T-MAT, the Nalthorans, the Tobari, the Taiidan, and many more.

With the ending of the funeral, the various cultures returned to the task of rebuilding all that they had lost. Comparatively, the Hiigarans were more fortunate – at least they still had a planet to return to. The other races could not, for their homeworlds had been irreversibly altered by the now-dead Neo-Beast virus.

Still, the rebuilding was harsh and difficult even for the Hiigarans. Cities were rebuilt painstakingly from scratch, infrastructure was restored, and native wildlife carried onboard the _Legacy of Kharak_ were released in the hope of re-establishing the ecosystem.

But the Hiigarans remained undaunted by the uphill task they faced.

Karan had left them a new home.

Now they would rebuild it.

* * *

**Onboard Grand Shipyard _Sajuuk Khar_, high orbit over Hiigara:**

The Grand Shipyard was probably the greatest orbital superstructure ever built in Hiigaran history. Just five years ago, the Hiigaran people were struggling in what was deemed the darkest time since the Homeworld War. Now, this pinnacle of shipbuilding technology showed what Hiigarans could do when they stood united in crisis.

_Sajuuk Khar_, or the Chosen of Sajuuk, was far more massive than any Mothership ever built. It was larger than even the monolithic Tanis Base, which had been restored and now served as a military base in the Tanis Ruins. Now the Hiigarans would no longer face the difficulty of building vessels larger than a shipyard class.

The mighty construction facility had been completed with much fanfare just a week ago, and now it was about to birth its maiden vessel.

Admiral Eefrit watched the decorators scurry about hurriedly as they struggled to add the finishing touches to the ambience of the viewing hall. A very special ship was going to be launched today, and to tremendous fanfare as well.

"Feeling relaxed, Eefrit?" Yuno's voice came in as she shimmered into existence before him. The smartly-attired admiral bowed deeply in welcome.

"Of course I am. The past few years have been just awful, with so much rebuilding work and the problems regarding security," Eefrit replied coolly, "We've really come a long way since then."

"I agree wholeheartedly," Yuno nodded, "A pity though that they still haven't figured out a way of downloading me back into a cloned and restored body."

"These things take time. Give them a few years, I'm sure they'll find a way in the end," Eefrit reassured, only to have Yuno roll her eyes sceptically.

"By the way, Eefrit, there's been a few updates from Hiigaran Intelligence," Yuno reported, "Remember the Plaz Nebula?"

"It's still very clear in my mind."

"Well, they've finally managed to cobble together enough resources for a proper expedition there," Yuno said, "The problem is, they found no wreckage belonging to the Mythra whatsoever."

"No wreckage? Who could have moved it?"

"That's the problem," Yuno sighed, "Their sensors picked up a trail of space time distortion linking both the Plaz Nebula and the Gate of Hara, which seems to have been repaired and reactivated as recently as last month."

"Last month?" Eefrit bellowed, "Now THAT'S too near for comfort."

Yuno nodded grimly before continuing.

"Given the circumstances, Intelligence has many reasons to believe that a scout Mythra fleet must have come in via the Gate of Hara, salvaged the wreckage, and warped back out."

"So we could be facing an invasion anytime soon?"

"An invasion is likely, though their initial experience with us will make them more careful the next time round," Yuno commented, "So we'll need to be ready when the time comes."

"That's why we're here, remember?" Eefrit grinned as the main doors swung open. Representatives from the various Kiith, as well as distinguished military personnel, strolled in smartly in anticipation of the launch.

"Eefrit!" Soban yelled as he walked up to the Admiral. Both friends shook hands warmly, having not met once since the end of the war. Rebuilding took up too much time.

"It's good to see you again," Eefrit gushed, "I guess you're enjoying your latest promotion, General Soban?"

"I always thought Captain suited me better," Soban replied, "General sounds less glam and heroic."

Both of them laughed heartily and went on to chat casually. Yuno's hologram walked off, smiling at the guests waving at her.

Then the lights dimmed in the hall as the main event beckoned. Spotlights flashed onto the massive ship before them, painted in the blue Hiigaran colours and sporting the beautiful emblem of the Angel Moon on its top.

"Fellow officers," Kiir greeted as he walked up to the main viewing panel, "I thank you all for coming to grace this event."

Applause reverberated through the viewing hall as the crowd gave Kiir Sjet their warmest welcomes. Kiir bowed before them and went on with his speech.

"Five years ago, we were embroiled in a terrible war, a war that took many things away from us," Kiir began, "The war took many brave Hiigarans, many ships, even our homeworld. It also took the life of our great Fleet Command, Karan Sjet, who gave her life so that we may continue to live in peace. I now implore you all to observe a minute's silence for Karan, and for the many lives lost in that war."

Kiir bowed down sadly, as did the rest of the crowd. Memories of the horrible war flashed before his eyes – the sacrifice of the Bentusi, the attack of the Progenitors, the rise of the Neo-Beast… All these moments, locked down for many years in the deepest recesses of his mind, rose once more to haunt him.

But then there was Karan, who braved so many dangers so that her people could live. He remembered her brave exploits with the _Sajuuk_, when she joined in the Alliance assault against the _Qwaar Jet_, her duel with the Mythra, and her graceful strikes in the Final Battle.

Kiir calmed himself, eclipsing the rest of the bad memories with the good ones, like the miracle of Hiigara's restoration. That was one event that still brought tears to his eyes even today, where Karan used her last strength to rebuild the whole of Hiigara.

Kiir looked up as the minute ended, the audience paying close attention to him once more.

"Now, peace is upon us and the restoration of Hiigara is almost complete. This is cause for celebration, but we must remain on our guard," Kiir emphasised, "Intelligence reports that the ancient Mythra, which we defeated in the war, may invade this Galaxy in the near future. As a sentient race of this Galaxy, we must be prepared for the worst, so that tragic sacrifices will be unnecessary."

At this moment, the might ship powered up its engines for the first time. Gasps went through the crowd as the _Sajuuk Khar_ released its tractor beams, and the new ship drifted away on its own power.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era, of a new Hiigaran Navy," Kiir spoke, "Through this new Navy, we will avoid the mistakes of the past and protect this homeworld, this Galaxy, for now and forever."

The new warship soared away at high speed, its sustained hyperspace field letting it glide through space effortlessly. The crowd broke out in tremendous applause as the new Horizon II class battlecruiser moved off to join its predecessor in the distance, the original _Horizon_.

As the applause reached a maximum, Kiir gazed out at the Hiigaran Navy and the _Koshiir Ra_ gathered around the Grand Shipyard, smiling as he looked father into the distance, where the distant Kharak and Karan's final resting place was.

And so begins another chapter, another page turned in the tome of the Hiigarans.

**THE END**


End file.
